Shastar is the name given to the weapons used in Shastar Vedia. The weapons are held in the highest esteem even higher than the teacher! Weapons have a special place where they are stored and presented. They are approached with respect and bowed to as if they were a living thing. It is believed that these weapons came directly from God and they are manifestations of God's power on earth. Thus the power of God has been put into the hands of man. This is a huge responsibility and something which is easily abused even with the best intentions in mind.
THE SWORD MEDITATION By Gatka Baij Nanak Dev Singh Khalsa
The sword has been for centuries
revered by man as a symbol of his power.
It was not until the Sikh Guru Hargobind
that a deeper understanding of this was
revealed. He taught that the sword was a
symbol of both temporal and spiritual
power. Later Guru Gobind Singh defined
this further by describing " God
fashioned the entire universe with his
sword". For this reason the sword is
seen as the primal force of the universe.
The Akali Nihang Singhs worship the sword
as a manifestation of God's power. It is
through the Sword Meditation that we are
granted its blessings. And by which its
immense power becomes the law which
governs ours thought and actions.
The energy of the sword is called Shakti,
it is a 2 1/2 cycle energy which is the
regulating force on the physical plane.
Mystery of the Sword Meditation is mastery
of all aspects of physical reality.
At the moment of creation the Creator was
in a profound state of meditation. Every
particle of the universe was shaped by
this meditation through the sword. By
allowing the Sword Meditation the creator
grants to his creatures the power of
creation.
Every deed regardless of it significance
or superficial value is an act of
creation. Every action becomes a Kriya, (
a complete and balanced cycle ) every
movement a Mudra ( a posture which
expresses a particular energy), every
though a meditation, creator and creation
are united in action, this is Shakti Yoga.
The joy and celebration of this moment of
meditation is expressed in the mantra
" Wahe Guru Wahe Guru Wahe Guru
"
BARCHA,
Barchi
Spear
A long shafted weapon for thrusting
and cuting.
The spearheads could also be used for
grabling attempts or to hook behind
the enemy shield. There is also a
small spike an reverse end.
CHAKRA,
Chakram, Chacra,
Chakar
Throwing
Disc
lt is a flat steel ring from five to
twelve inches in diameter and from
half an inch to an inch and a half
wide, the outer edge is sharp.
lt is usually plain but sometimes
elaborately inlaid.
Several of different sizes were often
carried on a pointed turban, the
dastar ungaa or behind the back. The
thrower stands squarely faceing his
objective, takes the chakra between
the thumb and first finger of the
right hand, holding it low down on his
left side. He then turns his body so
as to bring the right shoulder as far
forward as possible and throws
underhand with the full swing of his
body.
Thrown with sufficient force and
accuracy it can cut off a green bamboo
three-quarters of an inch in diameter
at a distance of thirty yards.
DAHL,
Shield
It is nearly always round and varies
in diameter from about eight inches to
about twenty-four.
Some are very nearly flat while others
are strongly convex. The edges may be
flat or rolled back in the reverse
curvature of the shild.
It is held by two handles fastened to
ring bolds that pass through the shild
and are riveted to bosses on the
outside, sometimes formed to spikes.
Between the handles there is a square
cushion for the knuckles to rest
against. The handles are so placed
that, when tightly grasped, they force
the backs of the fingers against the
cushion giving a very firm and
comfortable hold.
These shields are nearly always of
steel or leather.
GURJ,
Mace
Indian maces have a great variations
in their shape. From simply curved
steel bars to persian influenced maces
with openings in the head wich gave a
whistling sound when the blow was
struck to plane massive heads.
They often have guardet hilts like the
Khanda
KAMAN,
Bow
Most of the bows are composite. Some
are made of steel with block of wood
at the handles. They are of the shape
of composite bows and reverse when
strung.
Others are made of up to nine layers
of wood or horn.
KATAR,
Coutar, Katha,
Koutha, Kutha, Kutar
Armor
piercing Dagger
The oldest and most characteristic of
Indian knives. The pectiliarity lies
in the handle which is made up of two
parallel bars connected by two, or
more, crosspieces, one of which is at
the end of the side bars and is
fastened to the blade. The Katar is
wraped to the hand to optimize the
grip. The blades are aIways
double-edged and generally straight,
but occasionally curved. They are of
all lengths from a few inches to about
three feet. European blades of the
16th and 17th centuries were often
used, especially by the Mahrattas.
Katars with original blades are often
thickened at the point to strengthen
them for use against armor. When
European blades are used they are
always riveted to projections from the
hilt. The native blades are often
forged in one piece with it. The
blades are sometimes forked at the
point, and even three blades occur.
The Indian armorers occasionally made
Katars that were hollow and served as
sheaths for smaller ones; or with
three blades that folded together,
appearing to be one, until handle bars
were pressed together, when they
opened out.
KHANDA,
Khunda
Double
edged sword
The oldest and most typical of Indlan
swords.
lt has a broad, straight blade, ually
widening towards the point, which is
generally quite blunt. Sometimes it is
double-edged; but, it generally has a
strengthening plate with ornamental
borders on the back for a considerable
part of its length.
The hilt has a broad plate guard and
wide finger guard which joins the
large round, flat pommel. There is a
spike on the pommel which acts as a
guard for the arm, and for a grip for
the left hand when making a two-handed
stroke.
It is also used as a hand rest when
the sword is sheathed. The inside of
the guard and finger guard are padded.
KIRPAN,
Kirphan
Dagger
The most typical Knife.
lt usualy has a curved blade, and
should be carried by every Sikh. The
special techniques used make this
weapon very dangerous.
LATHI,
Quaterstaff
"The harder the times the longer
the Lathis"
This weapon is nearly everywhere
available and very dangerous when used
in the right way. Lathis should be as
long as the warrior and Ironwood or
Oak are prefered.
MARATI,
Trainig
device
The Marati is a bamboo stick with
wooden or cloth balls on its ends. It
is mainly used for training purposes
but there are variations with blades
or burning cloth on its ends, to
attack and distract elephants and for
psychological warfare.
SOTI,
Gatka Soti, Sothi
Trainig
device
The Soti is made from fire hardened
bamboo or ratan, 1m long and usualy
has a hand guard. It is mainly used
for practice and "playing
Gatka", the training fight.
For combat they were replaced by oak
ore ironwood sticks, without hand
guards.
TABAR,
Tapar
Battle
Axe
At first the ordinary hatchet or axe
of civil life was used as a weapon,
but special varieties were soon
developed for fighting. War axes were
of all sizes from light weapons, to
heavy pole axes requiring the use of
both arms.
The Indian axes are generally lighter
than the European and often have the
handle made of a flat plate of steel
with pieces of wood riveted to each
side.
Occasionally they have a dagger
concealed in the handle; and,
sometimes, a sharp-edged hook projects
from one side.
Combinations of axes and pistols were
fairly common in India; in these the
barrel of the pistol is often the
handle of the axe.
TALWAR,
Tulwar,
Tulwaur, Tarwar
Sabre
The Indian sabre, class name. lt
includes practically all of the curved
swords used in India; but those of
very marked curvature are frequently
called by their Persian name,
shamshir. The Talwar is the commonest
sword in India and the blades vary
enormously in Size, curvuature and
quality. The hilts generally have
short, heavy quilIons and disk
pommels. They may or may not have
finger guards; some have as many as
three. Several other forms of hilts
are also used. The Nihangs are as
careful of their swords and take as
much pains to keep them in order as
the japanese samurai. It is a common
saying thatan really objectionable act
is "as disgraceful as haveing a
blunt sword." "These are
Sikh cavalry-who know not steel
scabbards-but wear leather sheaths,
wherein the swords do not become blunt
and dull-keen bright and ready, as
many a deep and ghastly cut on Sepoy
corpses can testify."(Majendie)
TIR,
Arrow
The Indian arrows have steel heads of
a great variety of shapes, with tangs
fitting into the shafts, which are
generally of reed. The shafts are
often painted and gilded elaborately.
These arrows have three feathers and
bone, or ivory , noks.
