Bathing Viṣṇu with a prastha of ghee bestows the merit equal to a crore, and when one bathes Him with an āḍhaka of ghee and milk, one attains the realms of heaven, shining there like a king. Then Agni spoke, saying, “The Dhanurveda, the sacred science of archery, has four divisions, yet is described as fivefold according to the types of warriors: those who fight from chariots, on elephants, on horseback, and on foot. Its fivefold nature is further explained: weapons released by machines, by hand, those released and then held, those not released at all, and hand-to-hand combat. Among these, the use of weapons and missiles divides the art into two kinds; and again, by direct and deceptive means, it is further divided. Weapons thrown by machines such as bows are called ‘released by machine’; stones, spears, and similar arms hurled by hand are ‘released by hand.’ Weapons like spears, which are thrown and then retained, belong to the third kind. Swords and similar weapons, which are not released, are used in wrestling, where the fight is without weapons. A warrior who wishes to excel in battle, after overcoming fatigue, should diligently practice the appropriate exercises. The battles fought with bows are considered the highest; those with spears are intermediate; those with swords are the lowest, and those fought with only the arms are deemed inferior even to these. The teacher of Dhanurveda is said to be a learned Brahmin or Kṣatriya. A Śūdra may fight only in self-defense or by the king’s command, and in war, the king should be aided by local warriors. The stances of the body are crucial. When the thumbs, ankles, hands, and feet are joined together, this is the ‘equal-footed stance,’ recognized by its form. Placing the outer toes together, with both knees firm and the feet three spans apart, is called the Vaiśākha position. When the knees are aligned like the tracks of a swan and separated by four spans, it is the Maṇḍala stance. The Ālīḍha posture is shaped like a plough, with the right knee and thigh rigid, spanning five hand-breadths. When this is reversed, it becomes the Pratyālīḍha, with the left leg horizontal or the right leg straight. With ankles and heels firmly placed and all five toes extended, the stance stretches twelve finger-breadths in length. The left knee should be straight, the right extended well—or, if the right is bent, it remains motionless and curved. The leg and knee together are stretched out like a staff; this is the Vikaṭa posture, extending two arm-lengths. In the Sampuṭa posture, both feet are raised and the knees doubled. When the feet are turned slightly outward, steady and straight like a staff, the stance measures sixteen finger-breadths in length. Before beginning, one should offer salutations in the svastika posture, holding the bow in the left hand and the arrow in the right. Whether standing in Vaiśākha, Jāta, or any extended stance, the archer should then attach the string to the beloved bow. The lower part of the bow is set at the hip, the arrowhead at the tip, and both are placed on the ground before being lifted. With arms bent and forearms curved, the best bow is one whose arrow and feathered end fit comfortably in the hand. The distance between the limbs of the bow should be twelve finger-breadths; the string must be neither too loose nor too tight, but perfectly fitted. Resting the bow at the navel and the arrow at the hip, one should raise the hand, reciting the mantra at the finger and ear. The arrow is grasped at its tip with the right fist; after taking aim, the arm is quickly extended forward. The arrow must be neither too close nor too far, neither too high nor too low; it should not be bent, upturned, moving, or twisted. It must be straight and steady, held like a staff, and with the fist, the archer should cover the target. Standing upright, the archer’s chest forms a triangle; the neck is steady, and the head bent like a peacock’s. The forehead, nose, mouth, and shoulders are aligned as in a horse, and the distance between the string and the shoulder is three finger-breadths. For the first mantra, one finger’s length is measured; for the second, two fingers; for the third, one finger again, measured from chin to shoulder. The arrow is taken by the feather with thumb and forefinger, then grasped with the ring and middle fingers as well. The bow is drawn with force until the arrow is fully extended; thus prepared, the arrow is released in the proper way. With sight and fist aligned, the archer pierces the target; after release, the rear hand is thrown swiftly backward. This is the ‘cutting off’ technique: the lower part of the wrist is drawn down as the arrow is released. When shooting upward, the middle of the string is aimed at the target; the most excellent method is to be known by those skilled in archery. The longest arrow is twelve fists in length; the middle, eleven; the shortest, ten. A bow of four cubits is excellent; three and a half is middling; the shortest, for foot soldiers, is three cubits. Agni continued: “Having drawn the bow to its full extent, O twice-born, and having cleansed it well with flesh and mace weapons, one should set it up in the sacrificial ground. Then, taking up the arrow with full attention and concentration, the archer should firmly tie the right arm-guard, prepared for the sacred art of battle.