FReeper Canteen ~ Part I: War in Ancient India ~ July 13, 2004

A Tribute to Hinduism.com ^ | July 13, 2004 | LaDivaLoca

[LaDivaLoca]

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Part I: War in Ancient India

The history of ancient India is largely a history of Hindu culture and progress. Hindu culture  has a distinct claim to a higher antiquity than Assyrian schools would claim for Sargon I and as much or even higher antiquity than Egyptian scholars would claim for the commencement of the first dynasty of Kings. One aspect of this culture consists in India's political institutions which were almost modern. Modern warfare has developed on mechanical lines, giving less scope for the qualities of courage and individual leadership. The value and importance of the army were realized very early in the history of India, and this led to the maintenance of a permanent militia to put down dissent within and arrest aggression from without. This gave rise to the Ksatriya warrior caste, and the ksatram dharmam came to mean the primary duty of war. To serve the country by participating in war became the svadharma of this  warrior community. 

Hindu military science recognizes two kinds of warfare - the dharmayuddha and the kutayuddha. Dharmayuddha is war carried on the principles of dharma, meaning here the Ksatradharma or the law of Kings and Warriors. In other words, it was a just and righteous war which had the approval of society. On the other hand, kuttayuddha was unrighteous war. It was a crafty fight carried on in secret. The Hindu science of warfare values both niti and saurya i.e. ethical principles and valor. It was therefore realized that the waging of war without regard to moral standards degraded the institution into mere animal ferocity. A monarch desirous of dharma vijaya should conform to the code of ethics enjoined upon warriors. The principles regulating the two kinds of warfare are elaborately described in the Dharmasutras and Dharmasastras, the epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata), the Arthasastra treatises of Kautalya, Kamandaka, and Sukra. Hindu India possessed the classical fourfold force of chariots, elephants, horsemen, and infantry, collectively known as the Caturangabala. Students also know that the old game of chess also goes by the name of Caturanga. From the references to this game in the Rg Veda and the Atharva Veda and in the Buddhists and Jaina books, it must have been very popular in ancient India. The Persian term Chatrang and the Arabic Shatrang are forms of the Sanskrit Caturanga. 

According to Sir A. M. Eliot and Heinrich Brunnhofer (a German Indologist) and Gustav Oppert, all of whom have stated that ancient Hindus knew the use of gunpowder. Eliot tells us that the Arabs learnt the manufacture of gunpowder from India, and that before their Indian connection they had used arrows of naptha. It is also argued that though Persia possessed saltpetre in abundance, the original home of gunpowder was India. In the light of the above remarks we can trace the evolution of fire-arms in the ancient India. (source: German Indologists: Biograhpies of Scholars n Indian Studies writing in German - By Valentine Stache-Rosen. p.92). Terence Duke, author of The Boddhisattva Warriors: The Origin, Inner Philosophy, History and Symbolism of the Buddhist Martial Art Within India and China, martial arts went from India to China. Fighting without weapons was a specialty of the ancient Ksatreya warriors of India.

Introduction

The value and importance of the army were realized very early in the history of India, and this led in course of time to the maintenance of a permanent militia to put down dissensions. War or no war, the army was to be maintained, to meet any unexpected contingency. This gave rise to the Ksatriya or warrior caste, and the ksatram dharman came to mean the primary duty of war. To serve the country by participating in war became the svadharma or this warrior community. 

The necessary education, drill, and discipline to cultivate militarism were confined to the members of one community, the Ksatriyas. This prevented the militant attitude from spreading to other communities and kept the whole social structure unaffected by actual wars and war institutions. Says the Arthva Veda: "May we revel, living a hundred winters, rich in heroes." The whole country looked upon the members of the ksatriya community as defenders of their country and consequently did not grudge the high influence and power wielded by the Ksatriyas, who were assigned a social rank next in importance to the intellectual and spiritual needs of the society. The ancient Hindus were a sensitive people, and their heroes were instructed that they were defending the noble cause of God, Crown and Country. Viewed in this light, war departments were 'defense' departments and military expenditure were included in the cost of defense. In this, as in many cases, ancient India was ahead of modern ideas.

Chivalry, individual heroism, qualities of mercy and nobility of outlook even in the grimmest of struggles were not unknown to the soldiers of ancient India. Thus among the laws of war, we find that (1) a warrior (Khsatriya) in armor must not fight with one not so clad (2) one should fight only one enemy and cease fighting if the opponent is disabled, (3) aged men, women and children, the retreating, or one who held a straw in his lips as a sign of unconditional surrender should not be killed. It is of topical interest to note that one of the laws enjoins the army to leave the fruit and flower gardens, temples and other places of public worship unmolested.  

Next Tuesday, Part II of War in Ancient India

[beachn4fun]

Morning Kitty Mittens. Glad to see you this morning. Isn't it nice to have FRiends who make graphics for us graphically-impaired? Spotsy is my very Kind FReeper Friend!

[beachn4fun]

Good morning Windchime. Glad to see you this morning too!

[tomkow6]

Good morning, Ma!

[beachn4fun]

Good morning Mr. & Mrs. Poohbear.

[tomkow6]

Morning, B4F!

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Morning, Beach. How's it going?

[The Mayor]

July 13, 2004

No Greater Love

Read: 1 John 4:7-11

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. —1 John 4:10

Bible In One Year: Psalms 7-9; Acts 18

---

On our family-room wall, in a small shadowbox, hangs a“treasure”that belongs to my wife Carolyn. Oh, we have things more intrinsically valuable on the walls of our home —a handmade quilt from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Kentucky, antique mirrors, oil paintings, and a magnificent dulcimer from an artisan in the back-country of Idaho.

Carolyn’s treasure, though, is far more valuable to her than any other possession, for it contains a gift from our granddaughter Julia. It was a present to her“Nana”on Valentine’s Day several years ago when Julia was only 6 years old — a small, red, clay heart. Inscribed on it in childish scrawl are the words“ I Luv U."

The little heart is crudely made, ragged on the edges, and bears a number of thumbprints and smudges, but Carolyn has enshrined it in a frame made especially for that heart. Each day it reminds her of Julia’s love.

Is God’s love more valuable to you than silver or gold or any other possession? He“ sent His only begotten Son into the world, that [you] might live through Him”(1 John 4:9). He did that because He loves you, not because you loved Him. And because of His love, one day you will be with Him in heaven. There is no greater love! —David Roper

Love sent my Savior to die in my stead,
Why should He love me so?
Meekly to Calvary’s cross He was led,
Why should He love me so? —Harkness

God’s eternal love is the source of our eternal life.

[USVet6792Retired]

~~Oh I'd like to be a jellyfish, cuz jellyfish don't pay rent~~ Seriously tho.....pretty to look at, but don't touch. And if you do, vinegar will ease the sting. So will something else in an emergency...but that's todays trivia question.

What can you use in an emergency to take the sting out of a Jellyfish encounter??

[beachn4fun]

Gooooooooood Morning yourself! Oh, my....a frog seeking the desert? LOL. Now that is a funny sight! How about one of these?

[USVet6792Retired]

Grandchildren are so much fun....we should have had them first.

[beachn4fun]

I didn't know about vinegar. Being as how I am a veteran of the beach and all, I know a few things that can be used. My mom use to put the sand on ours. I think salt works better.

[beachn4fun]

LOL. No, that wouldn't work, they'd still be OUR children!

[beachn4fun]

Good morning Mayor

[Fawnn]

For those of you who may have missed this yesterday:

PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE!!!
My mom found proof that
MoJo's rotten brother began
his sailor ways at a young age.
As this picture proves,
"if looks could kill,"
tomkow wouldn't be with us today!


I now return you to your regularly scheduled Canteen. (I doubt that I'll have time to catch up on the wOOhOOs until later tonight. I'll be off to visit the grandbabies later this morning....)

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning to all the Canteeners today. I will be getting into the retiring of the 49th AD colors

to the 36th INF Div

this week. The Texas Army National Guard is going back to the 36th INF Div this coming weekend, so I will have several tasks to get done before Sunday. Hope to get some FReeping done, but not sure how much.

[mylife]

very interesting, Thanks for researching the topic

[USVet6792Retired]

When it comes to G-kids...NEVER think!

Thus says the man with 11 2/3 of them.

[The Mayor]

Good Morning!

[mylife]

good morning Kathy!

[Bethbg79]

Good morning mylife!