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Dhanurveda, the upaveda of the Yajurveda, deals with:
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Answer: Option D — The art of warfare (archery)
Detailed Solution
The upavedas, or "subsidiary Vedas", are texts on technical and practical subjects, each traditionally attached to one of the four Vedas. They deal with applied knowledge rather than hymns and rituals.
Dhanurveda ("knowledge of the bow") is the upaveda associated with the Yajurveda. It deals with the science of warfare and military arts, especially archery, which was the most important military skill in ancient India. It covers:
The making and use of bows, arrows and other weapons.
Methods of training soldiers and warriors.
Postures, techniques of aiming and shooting.
Military formations (vyuhas), strategy and tactics.
The use of elephants, horses and chariots in battle.
Dhanurveda is traditionally associated with the sage Vishvamitra and is mentioned in epics such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, where heroes like Arjuna, Karna, Rama and Drona are skilled archers. The Agni Purana also has a section on Dhanurveda.
The four upavedas and their associated Vedas are:
Ayurveda (science of life and medicine): associated with the Rigveda (some traditions link it to the Atharvaveda). Its classical texts include the Charaka Samhita (on medicine) and the Sushruta Samhita (on surgery).
Dhanurveda (archery and warfare): associated with the Yajurveda.
Gandharvaveda (music, dance and performing arts): associated with the Samaveda.
Shilpaveda (architecture, sculpture and crafts), also called Sthapatyaveda; sometimes Arthaveda (economics and polity) is listed instead: associated with the Atharvaveda.
The Vedangas ("limbs of the Vedas") are six auxiliary disciplines developed to help understand and use the Vedas properly: Shiksha (phonetics), Kalpa (rituals), Vyakarana (grammar, Panini's Ashtadhyayi), Nirukta (etymology, by Yaska), Chhanda (metre) and Jyotisha (astronomy).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Medicine is the subject of Ayurveda.
- ✗Music is the subject of Gandharvaveda.
- ✗Architecture is the subject of Shilpaveda (Sthapatyaveda).
Quick tip
Remember: Upavedas = Ayurveda (Rigveda, medicine), Dhanurveda (Yajurveda, warfare), Gandharvaveda (Samaveda, music), Shilpaveda (Atharvaveda, architecture); six Vedangas include Vyakarana and Jyotisha.
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Vedic Period — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Vedic Period, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
The Vedic period followed the arrival of the Indo-Aryans and is divided into the Early (Rig Vedic) and Later Vedic ages. This topic covers the four Vedas, the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads, Vedic society, polity, economy and religion, and the rivers and gods mentioned in Vedic texts. Exams often ask which Veda deals with what (the Sama Veda with music, the Atharva Veda with charms and medicine), the most important Rig Vedic god (Indra), and Vedic assemblies such as the Sabha and Samiti. Note how society changed from the Early to the Later Vedic age, especially the rise of the varna system and the growth of kingship. Practise the Vedic period questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.