Bow vs other weapons

Bow and arrow is shown to be most effective weapon in kurukshetra war. This is used by everyone includind duri, dussh, bheem, nakul etc. the arrows can annihilate army of thousands easily with its celestial missiles while other "inferior" weapons such as sabre, nmace, spear were effective only in personal one to one combat and were ineffective at mass destruction.

You can use a mace against a bow if you throw it hard enough.

However not everyone is built to be an archer.

It's like saying: People can make the most money by becoming a businessman, then why do people bother to become doctors, actors or other professions? It's all personal choice and interest, plus not everyone is built to be a businessman. Some people are built to be other things.

A lawyer can't be a doctor, as they require different forms of intelligence. If you're a scientific person then doctor if you';re a humanities based person then law.

Originally posted by: Manojie

You can use a mace against a bow if you throw it hard enough.

However not everyone is built to be an archer.

It's like saying: People can make the most money by becoming a businessman, then why do people bother to become doctors, actors or other professions? It's all personal choice and interest, plus not everyone is built to be a businessman. Some people are built to be other things.

A lawyer can't be a doctor, as they require different forms of intelligence. If you're a scientific person then doctor if you';re a humanities based person then law.

Originally posted by: Manojie

You can use a mace against a bow if you throw it hard enough.

However not everyone is built to be an archer.

It's like saying: People can make the most money by becoming a businessman, then why do people bother to become doctors, actors or other professions? It's all personal choice and interest, plus not everyone is built to be a businessman. Some people are built to be other things.

A lawyer can't be a doctor, as they require different forms of intelligence. If you're a scientific person then doctor if you';re a humanities based person then law.

Good post...i guess its everyone's choice

Originally posted by: Cotswolds

While I completely agree with your viewpoint, the analogy of lawyers and doctors do not fit snugly fot the current question. Lawyers, docs can be as successful in their own profession as businessman and make tons of money and. Can be complimentary to each other.

For current question... In the battle only sure way to win is with bow-arrow as other weapons are quite ineffective infront of it. Mahabharat story talks about so many dangerous missiles all related to arrows. Hence, any prudent,practical king will try to master and perfect this skill as much as possible.

Who in right mind will be trained on sword play in current army rather than rifles and cannons. If someone wants to learn swordplay as a hobby or to focus on chi, its a diferent tory.

But being an archer isn't for everyone. Not everyone has the ability I should say to be a super archer. Wheras a mace, is just as good. Bheem wasn't a super archer yet he was still very strong and killed others. Same with Dhuryodhan, he killed many without bows and arrows.

Originally posted by: Manojie

You can use a mace against a bow if you throw it hard enough.

However not everyone is built to be an archer.

It's like saying: People can make the most money by becoming a businessman, then why do people bother to become doctors, actors or other professions? It's all personal choice and interest, plus not everyone is built to be a businessman. Some people are built to be other things.

A lawyer can't be a doctor, as they require different forms of intelligence. If you're a scientific person then doctor if you';re a humanities based person then law.

Actually if we read vyasa's Mbh, everyone is a well skilled archer, coz their standard method of fighting (for princes/king) is chariot battle. In fact their rank of skill is meassured by ratha/Chariot: half ratha, 1 ratha, 8 rathas, maharatha, atiratha.
BRC was right in depicting this, everyone brings bow and arrows.
In fact even Ghatotkach who's always a fat barbaric giant man on tv was also a car warrior, he even had a huge chariot with 8 wheels!
The battle itself is actually a mix between STAR WARS & BEN HUR. Chariot chasing each other crushing enemy's infantries, avoiding elephants, and shooting endless salvos of arrows, each 'main' car warrior had 'wingman' which they called wheel protectors, like Arjun's wingmen are yudhamanyu & uttamaujas.
But in a massive battle like kurukshetra, losing chariot, fall from a chariot or charioteer getting killed is a common occasion, that's where personal weapon in melee combat is needed. Bheem/Duri/Shalya prefered mace, twins used sword, etc. But contrary to popular believe, Bheem was the second next to Arjun(among 5 Pandavas) in term of archery skill while speeding on chariot. He killed some of the Kauravas with arrows & even surprised Karna by giving him a tough chariot battle!
But 4 pandavas to be honest, weren't top class car warrior, bheeshma mentioned them in the lowest level (1 ratha), ony Bheem was considered 8 rathas. Even Satyaki, Drupad & Dristadyumna were maharatha/atiratha, far above the 4 main protagonists!
That level of skill on chariot wasnt automatically equal when it comes to melee combat on foot, for example; Satyaki who was second only to Arjun on chariot in whole Pandavas army, can't do too much aginst old Burisravas in swordfighting.

Originally posted by: Cotswolds

Bow and arrow is shown to be most effective weapon in kurukshetra war. This is used by everyone includind duri, dussh, bheem, nakul etc. the arrows can annihilate army of thousands easily with its celestial missiles while other "inferior" weapons such as sabre, nmace, spear were effective only in personal one to one combat and were ineffective at mass destruction.

So why will any king learn other weapons if arrow-bow is so supreme ? It does not make sense from practical sense. Whats the point being best at mace, sabre when one can not defend and counter attack against bowman ? And yes people have fought with each other using different weapons.

Although in this serial, Arjun was right next to Drupada, and he aimed his bow skywards and w/ 4 arrows, shot down his 4 lookalikes. 🤔