Abb.: रथः । Streitwagen
[Bildquelle: Mitra, Rājendralāla <1824-1891>: Indo-Aryans: contributions towards the elucidation of their ancient and mediaeval history. -- London :  Stanford, 1881. --  2 Bde. : Ill.  ; 23 cm. -- Bd. 1, S. 340]

Dreiunddreißigstes Kapitel (49. bis 51. Gegenstand). Der Wagenaufseher, der Fußsoldatenaufseher und der Feldmarschall. Was auf den Pferdeaufseher, das ist auch auf den Wagenaufseher anwendbar. Er soll die Arbeiten, die sich auf die Wagen beziehen, verrichten lassen. Der Wagen (ratha) ist für zehn Mann, mit Gelegenheit für zwölf. Von da ab je um die Gelegenheit für einen vermindert, herab bis zu Gelegenheit für sechs, ergibt sieben Wagenarten.1 Er soll Götterwagen, Staatswagen,2 Streitwagen, Reisewagen, Wagen, die feindlichen Bargen anzugreifen, und Wagen zum Einüben machen lassen. Er soll sich verstehen auf die Ausrüstung (der Wagen) mit Bogen, Angriffswaffen, Schutzwaffen und allem Zubehör, ebenso darauf, wie Wagenlenker, Wagenkämpfer und Wagenpferde zu ihren einzelnen Betätigungen richtig verwendet werden.3 Bis in die einzelnen Verrichtungen hinein soll er Nahrung und Lohn kennen und bei den fest Angestellten und den nicht fest Angestellten (den Arbeitern) die Aufrechterhaltung angemessenen Schutzes (gegen böse Einflüsse) und das Geschäft des Beschenkens und Beehrens. Fußnoten 1 Sham.'s und Gaṇ.'s wohl auf Bhaṭṭ. zurückgehende Anschauung dieser Stelle ist unmöglich. Sogar wenn man, was hier doch wunderlich wäre, den »Schattenmann« von 12 aṅgula Länge zum Maß nehmen will, kommt ein Wagenungetüm von 71/2 Fuß Höhe und 9 Fuß Weite heraus. Greifen wir dagegen zum Flächenmaß, dann erhalten wir ein Kinderwägelchen. Sodann: Wenn das Maß gemeint wäre, müsste doch pauruṣa, nicht puruṣa gebraucht sein. Aber auch Steins Wagen mit 12 Abteilungen ergibt ein Unding. Siehe Meg. und Kauṭ. 275 f. Antara hat hier seine bei Kauṭ. ganz gewöhnliche Bedeutung, wie puruṣa seinen alltäglichen Sinn. Es heißt: Innenraum, Fassungsraum und damit Möglichkeit, Gelegenheit. Der als Norm geltende, d.h. der größte regelrechte Wagen ist also für Mann berechnet, kann aber im Notfall auch 12 halten. Der nächste an Größe deren 11, und so herab bis Nr. 7, der für vier Mann gebaut ist, aber wenn es sein muß, auch sechsen Fassungsraum oder Fahrgelegenheit bietet. Dieser letzte stimmt nicht schlecht zu der Angabe des Megasthenes, daß ein Wagenlenker und zwei Kämpfer im Kriegswagen gestanden hätten. Im Kampfe hat der einzelne Mann mehr Raum nötig als sonst. Sodann müssen ja auch Waffen untergebracht werden, öfters wohl auch ein Diener. Größer sind auch die Kriegswagen des Epos nicht.A1 2 Puṣyaratha (Pāli phussaratha) bedeutet, wie ich schon Hindu Tales S. 131, Anm. 3 angegeben habe, »Staatswagen« (nicht »Vergnügungswagen«, wie die Wörterbücher sagen). Bhaṭṭ. zu unserer Kauṭilyastelle bestätigt meine Anschauung, denn er sagt, es sei ein Wagen, der bei Krönungen usw. bestiegen werde. Wie prächtig solch ein Staatswagen ist und das Gespann davor, schildert Uvāsagadasāo § 206. 3 Āyoga hier und anderwärts bei Kauṭ.: die richtige Verwendung oder Anstellung, und damit in gewissen Verbindungen auch fitness und unfitness (Sham.) (Brauchbarkeit und Unbrauchbarkeit). A1 Dieser spielt da natürlich eine sehr große Rolle. Über seine verschiedenen Teile und seinen Bau gibt besonders MBh. VII, 202, 71ff.; VIII, 16, 13–15; 19, 10–12; 34, 16ff. Auskunft. Eingehend hat Hopkins, Ruling Caste auch über die Kriegswagen geredet, ist mir aber nicht zur Hand. Könige haben krīḍāratha Wagen zu Lustfahrten und sāṃgrāmika ratha oder Streitwagen. MBh. XIII, 53, 27–33. Auch vor die Reisewagen werden vier Pferde gespannt. MBh. III, 71, 19. Mit Elefanten bespannte Wagen finden wir ebenfalls im MBh. So in II, 52, 29; K. 78, 26f.; K XIV, 100, 91f.; 103, 73. Vom rathapa oder Wagenaufseher und den Erfordernissen für ihn redet auch Śukran. II, 264ff." [Quelle: Kauṭilya: Das altindische Buch vom Welt- und Staatsleben : das Arthaśāstra des Kauṭilya / [aus dem Sanskrit übersetzt und mit Einleitung und Anmerkungen versehen von] Johann Jakob Meyer [1870-1939]. -- Leipzig, 1926. -- Digitale Ausgabe in: Asiatische Philosophie. -- 1 CD-ROM. -- Berlin: Directmedia, 2003. -- (Digitale Bibliothek ; 94). -- S. 223f.]

"From references in the Mahābhārata it appears that chariots had only two wheels. Vide Bhīṣma 98. 47, Droṇaparva 154. 3, Śalya 16. 24 (Śaineyo dakṣiṇaṃ cakraṃ Dhṛṣṭadyumnas tathottaram),.Two noted warriors were told off to guard the two wheels of the chariot of the principal commanders and are called 'cakra-rakṣau ' ( vide Bhīṣma 54. 76, 108. 5, Droṇa 91, 36, Karṇa 11. 31, 34. 44 ). Chariots of great warriors were drawn by four horses e. g. Ādi. 198. 15, Udyoga 48. 50, Drona 145. 81. Udyoga 83. 15-21 describe the chariot of Kṛṣṇa and Udyoga,140. 21 states that chariots had small tinkling bells attached to them and also screens of tiger-skin. The Ṛg. contains very graphic descriptions of chariots. Chariots were generally drawn by two horses in the vedic age (Ṛg. V. 30.1, V. 36.5, VI. 23. 1) and had two wheels, but the chariot of the Aśvins is described as having three wheels (Ṛg. I. 118. 2, I 157. 3, X. 41. 1). Ghaṭotkaca, however, had eight wheels to his chariot (Droṇa 156. 61, 175. 13 ). " "In medieval times chariots appear to have become obsolete. In the graphic descriptions of armies contained in the Harsacarita (particularly in the 7th ucchvāsa) war chariots are conspicuous by their absence." [Quelle: Kane, Pandurang Vaman <1880 - 1972>: History of Dharmaśāstra : (ancient and mediaeval, religious and civil law). -- Poona : Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. -- Vol. IV. -- 2. ed. -- 1973. -- S. 205f.]

"The chariot.—The earliest chariot was a ear of two or three wheels, and with one, two, or three horses; in the Epic we find the same, or one of four, sometimes eight, wheels; and with two, three, or four horses, or (in the latest portions) eight. In particulars, we find the Vedic war-car, ratha, placed on a box, kośa, fixed on a wooden axle, akṣa, fastened by cowhide thongs. The seat, bandhura, is single; in the case of gods, three to eight seats, as fancy dictates, are mentioned. The knight stands on the floor of the car, garta, to the left of his driver. A rim is perhaps to be assumed as protecting the car, called aṅka, perhaps comparable etymologically with αντυξ. The wheel-spokes are of wood. A banner-pole stands erect in the car. A horse stands on each side of the pole, and the two are yoked, guided by a bit, śiprā, and reins, while urged by a goad (or whip). Only Indra has a caturyuga, τετρωρον αρμα. One horse in shafts was a sign of poverty. The car and pole were decorated. Axe and bow were the chief weapons, but knives and others smaller are used. Many warriors fight on foot; also 'riders' are mentioned, but not regular cavalry. This is all we know with certainty of the Hindu chariot before the Epic. Three drivers might stand on the broad shelf that ran in front of the largest Epic war-car (ratha, rarely yāna, wagon). In the rear stood the knight. To shoot directly in front he leaned over a fence-rim between the belly of the car and the horses, of which in this case four were used ; or mules instead were employed. Each chariot is stocked with arms, and many more are borne behind by attendants. Over each war-car stood an emblem-pole, and shone silk-emblazoned banners with woven or painted figures of allegorical import. A covering over the largest war-cars protected from the direct rays of the sun, a covering used as well on the field as on a march (ātapatra: xv. 23.8). Over against this view of the large four-horse chariot, we have the simpler picture of a two-horse car, small in size, containing only the knight and one attendant, the charioteer. This car was much smaller, and, indeed, Homeric; for, as in the Iliad one man seeks to pick up and run away with a chariot, so we find here a knight attempting to lift a war-car alone out of a morass. Outside of the war proper we find the chariot-duel. Of course impromptu meetings of two chariots and the subsequent strife between the occupants are of frequent occurrence in the battle scenes ; but it is significant that, apart from the field of actual battle, a king proposes in one of the early books to recover his kingdom by instituting 'a duel in chariots' between his adversary and himself, the result of which shall establish peace. The number of charioteers depends on the horses. When two horses are sufficient, one sārathi or charioteer is sufficient also. In the case of four horses (two fastened to the pole, two by straps outside, not tandem: dhur and pārṣṇi), we nave one charioteer in the middle, who guides the pole-horses, and on each side of him the two drivers of the outer steeds, pārṣṇiṣā-rathī. In proverbs and verses of late origin it is universally assumed that four horses will be used. Thus (vii. 112.46 ff.): 'Let the rathakalpakāḥ according to rule arrange the chariot,' which has five qualities, and four horses; and we are expressly told in the opening description that all the knights had four-horse chariots. But that such was not always the ease will be seen below from the account of the poem itself. I now examine in detail the war-car and the steeds. The parts of the chariot (ratha, yāna, syandana = currus): Beneath is the axle (akṣa), to the ends of which the wheels are attached, and above and before which is the charioteer's place, while above and behind is the place of the knight. The 'nest' or box above is so intimately connected with the axle that the two are often broken together. The noiseless running of the axle is especially praised. The mention of this part of the wagon often implies that the car has only two wheels—as where, in enumerating disasters following single arrows, we find that a knight broke the single yoke with one arrow; the 'threefold-piece,' with three; the four steeds, with four; and the one axle (the two wheels), with two (iv. 57.36). In iii. 134. 9 this is formally stated to be the case. The wheel consists, besides the wooden circle, of the tire (rathanemi, vi. 117.54), the spokes (ara), and the hub (nābhi). The ' place at the spokes' (arāsthāna) was reserved for knights, high-born attendants of the king, 'who at the master's chariot did mighty deeds in the van.' The tire, which was also called 'fore-circle' (pra-maṇḍala), appears to be of iron, if we may judge from constant reference to the 'noise of the hoofs and the tires.' But what is the 'chariot-nest' ? and does it differ from the 'chariot-lap' ? Between these two expressions (rathanīḍa, rathopastha) I think we may discern a distinction. The upastha was the general bottom of the car; the nīḍa was the little shelf in front where the charioteer stood. This difference existed probably in four- horse chariots only. [...] Some parts of the chariot are not easily explained, as they are rarely mentioned, and not described. Thus, we find in a list of parts of chariots, besides those already discussed, the daṇḍaka, apparently equivalent to yaṣṭi, the banner-staff; the jaṅghā, probably the akṣajaṅghā or ' axle-tree;' and the daśana, perhaps the spokes (unless the harness in general be meant). The triangle-piece, elsewhere explained, is said in another passage of this book to be silvered; and from the same paragraph we may add a new item to the car, namely the tri-kośa or threefold receptacle, said to be of gold, i. e. gilded : 'the war-car decked with tiger-skins, of noiseless axle, golden tri-kośa, and silver triangle-piece.' Kośa alone is specifically a sheath for a sword. We may have in the last three epithets three near parts, axle, axle-box, axle-pole-triangle, as kośa is used in Vedic literature; but why three-fold ? On account of its non-specific meaning, frequent in the Epic, I prefer to regard it as indication of three compartments for receiving arms." [Quelle: Hopkins, Edward W. (Washburn) <1857 - 1932>: The social and military position of the ruling caste in ancient India; as represented by the Sanskrit epic; with an appendix on the status of woman. -- Reprint from the 13th volume of the Journal of the American Oriental Society (1888). -- New Haven, Conn. : Tuttle, 1889. -- S. 235 - 238, 249]

2.142.62. Wagen für zivile Zwecke

Abb.: दार्वः । Pune, Maharashtra
[Bildquelle: Sutherland. -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/zen/383856642/. -- Zugriff am 2011-06-06. -- Creative Commons Lizenz (Namensnennung, keine kommerzielle Nutzung, share alike)]

2.142.71. Bemerkung zum grammatischen Geschlecht des Vorhergehenden

2.142.72. Ansammlung von Wagen

2.142.73. Spitze der Deichsel

"Nabe, hülsenförmige Teile von Maschinenteilen, besonders Rädern, Scheiben, Rollen, Kurbeln und Hebeln, mit denen diese auf Stangen, Wellen, Achsen u. dgl. befestigt werden." [Quelle: Meyers großes Konversations-Lexikon. -- DVD-ROM-Ausg. Faksimile und Volltext der 6. Aufl. 1905-1909. -- Berlin : Directmedia Publ. --2003. -- 1 DVD-ROM. -- (Digitale Bibliothek ; 100). -- ISBN 3-89853-200-3. -- s.v.]

पिण्डिका - piṇḍikā f.: kugelförmige Anschwellung, Wade, Nabe

Abb.: पिण्डिका । Herstellung eines Rads für Tempelwagen, Puri - ପୁରୀ, Orissa
[Bildquelle: Matt Murphy. -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattmurf/462070898/. -- Zugriff am 2011-06-06. -- Creative Commons Lizenz (Namensnennung)]

अनुकर्ष - anukarṣa m.: das Nachsichziehen, Boden eines Wagens