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FReeper Canteen ~ Part II of War in Ancient India ~ July 20, 2004
A Tribute to Hinduism.com ^ | July 20, 2004 | LadivaLoca

Posted on 07/19/2004 8:01:01 PM PDT by LaDivaLoca

 
 

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Part II: War in Ancient India

 
Territorial ideal of a one-State India

Imperial sway in ancient India meant the active rule of an individual monarch who by his ability and prowess brought to subjection the neighboring chieftains and other rulers, and proclaimed himself the sole ruler of the earth. This goes by the name of digvi-jaya. It is not necessary that he should conquer all States by the sword. A small state might feel the weight of a conquering king and render obeisance of its own accord. 

According to the Sangam classics, each of the respective rulers of the chief Tamil kingdoms, the Cera, Cola and Pandya, carried his sword as far north as the Himalayas, and implanted on its lofty heights his respective crest the bow, the tiger and the fish. In these adventures which the Tamil Kings underwent for their glorification, they did not lag behind their northern brethren. The very epithet Imayavaramban shows that the limits of the empire under that Emperor extended to the Himalayas in the north. This title was also earned by Ceran Senguttuvan by his meritorious exploits in the north. Names like the Cola Pass in the Himalayan slopes, which in very early times connected Nepal and Bhutan with ancient Tibet, give a certain clue to the fact that once Tamil kings went so far north as the Himalayas and left their indelible marks in those regions. 

If in the epic age a Rama and an Arjuna could come to the extremity of our peninsula, and in the historical period of a Chandragupta or a Samudragupta could undertake an expedition to this part of our country, nothing could prevent a king of prowess and vast resources like the Cera king Senguttuvan from carrying his armies to the north. The route lay through the Dakhan plateau, the Kalinga, Malva, and the Ganga. Perhaps it was the ancient Daksinapatha  route known to history from the epoch of the Rg Veda Samhita

The king who became conqueror of all India was entitled to the distinction of being called a Samrat. In the Puranic period the great Kartavirya Arjuna of the Haihaya clan spread his arms throughout the ancient Indian continent and earned the title of Samrat. The same principle of glory and distinction underlay the performance of the sacrifice, Asvamedha and Rajasuya, which were intended only for the members of the Ksatriya community. 

This bears testimony to ' the existence of the territorial ideal of a one-State India' (Cakravartiksetram of Kautalya). These kings were called Sarvabhaumas and Ekarats. 

Vedic kings aimed at it, and epic rulers realized it. The idea of ekarat, continued down to Buddhist times and even later. The Jatakas which are said to belong to the fifth and sixth century B.C., make pointed reference to an all-Indian empire. This concept of an all-India empire stretching from Kanyakumari to the Himalayas, according to Kautalya receives further support from another important political term: ekacchatra, or one-umbrella sovereignty. 

Hindus have given shelter to the persecuted people from many lands and in all ages. But what is most important, they have always regarded their own homeland as the only playfield for their chakravartins, and never waged wars of conquest beyond the borders of Bharata-varsha.

 
The Laws of War

When society became organized and a warrior caste (Kshatriya) came into being, it was felt that the members of this caste should be governed by certain humane laws, the observance of which, it was believed, would take them to heaven, while their non-observance would lead them into hell. In the post Vedic epoch, and especially before the epics were reduced to writing, lawless war had been supplanted, and a code had begun to govern the waging of wars. The ancient law-givers, the reputed authors of the Dharmasutras and the Dharmasastras, codified the then existing customs and usages for the betterment of mankind. Thus the law books and the epics contain special sections on royal duties and the duties of common warriors. 

It is a general rule that kings were chosen from among the Kshatriya caste. In other words, a non-Ksatriya was not qualified to be a king. And this is probably due to the fact that the kshatriya caste was considered superior to others in virtue of its material prowess. Though the warrior's code enjoins that all the Ksatriyas should die on the field of battle, still in practice many died a peaceful death. There is a definite ordinance of the ancient law books prohibiting the warrior caste from taking to asceticism. Action and renunciation is the watch-word of the Ksatriya. The warrior was not generally allowed to don the robes of an ascetic. But Mahavira and Gautama protested against these injunctions and inaugurated an order of monks or sannyasins. When these dissenting sects gathered in strength and numbers, the decline of Ksatriya valor set in. Once they were initiated into a life of peace and prayer, they preferred it to the horrors of war. this was a disservice that dissenting sects did to the cause of ancient India. 

When a conqueror felt that he was in a position to invade the foreigner's country, he sent an ambassador with the message: 'Fight or submit.' More than 5000 years ago India recognized that the person of the ambassador was inviolable. This was a great service that ancient Hinduism rendered to the cause of international law. It was the religious force that invested the person of the herald or ambassador with an inviolable sanctity in the ancient world. The Mahabharata rules that the king who killed an envoy would sink into hell with all his ministers. 

As early as as the 4th century B.C. Megasthenes noticed a peculiar trait of Indian warfare. 

"Whereas among other nations it is usual, in the contests of war, to ravage the soil and thus to reduce it to an uncultivated waste, among the Indians, on the contrary, by whom husbandmen are regarded as a class that is sacred and inviolable, the tillers of the soil, even when battle is raging in their neighborhood, are undisturbed by any sense of danger, for the combatants on either side in waging the conflict make carnage of each other, but allow those engaged in husbandry to remain quite unmolested. Besides, they never ravage an enemy's land with fire, nor cut down its trees."

(source:
A Brief History of India - By Alain Danielou  p. 106). The modern "scorched earth" policy was then unknown. "

Professor H. H. Wilson says: "The Hindu laws of war are very chivalrous and humane, and prohibit the slaying of the unarmed, of women, of the old, and of the conquered."

 At the very time when a battle was going on, he says, the neighboring cultivators might be seen quietly pursuing their work, - " perhaps ploughing, gathering for crops, pruning the trees, or reaping the harvest." Chinese pilgrim to Nalanda University, Hiuen Tsiang affirms that although the there were enough of rivalries and wars in the 7th century A.D. the country at large was little injured by them. 

 

Next Tuesday, Part III of War in Ancient India






TOPICS: Front Page News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: ancientwarfare; canteen; freepercanteen; india; lawsofwar
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To: Mudboy Slim
as of 12:01 am this morning I became an Uncle fer the 7th time!! Little Peyton is healthy and a cutie--

Congratulations!


81 posted on 07/20/2004 5:58:14 AM PDT by Spotsy (The news media should report the news, not manufacture it)
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To: Spotsy
Is it a new day for you?

I guess technically it is "tomorrow" now. I did sleep for a couple of hours.

It looks like I'll be doing brunch instead of lunch with the daughter and grandkids, so I need to go get ready to leave the house. I'll be back sometime laterssssssssss today. ;)
82 posted on 07/20/2004 5:58:46 AM PDT by Fawnn (Canteen wOOhOO Consultant and CookingWithPam.com person)
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To: tomkow6

Morning, Tomkow!


83 posted on 07/20/2004 5:59:03 AM PDT by Soaring Feather
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To: Kathy in Alaska

Morning, Ma!!


84 posted on 07/20/2004 6:00:17 AM PDT by Soaring Feather
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To: Fawnn

Enjoy brunch with the daughter and grandkids!


85 posted on 07/20/2004 6:01:08 AM PDT by Spotsy (The news media should report the news, not manufacture it)
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To: bentfeather
Good Morning Ms. Feather!

86 posted on 07/20/2004 6:02:57 AM PDT by Spotsy (The news media should report the news, not manufacture it)
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To: LaDivaLoca; tomkow6; 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub; Kathy in Alaska; bentfeather; Bethbg79; StarCMC; ...
Good Morning Diva. Good morning Everyone. Good morning to our

Military and our allies! Thank you for all you do!

I just got this in the mail and thought there are bound to be some of you out there who would get a chuckle out of it. Especially those of you who live in the South! LOL.

How do you tell the difference between Democrats, Republicans and Southerners?

Now look closely.

Answer. Pose the following question:

You're walking down a deserted street with your wife and two small children. Suddenly, a dangerous looking man with a huge knife comes around the corner, locks eyes with you, screams obscenities, raises the knife, and charges. You are carrying a Glock .40, and you are an expert shot. You have mere seconds before he reaches you and your family. What do you do?

----------------------------------------------------- Democrat's Answer: Well, that's not enough information to answer the question! Does the man look poor or oppressed? Have I ever done anything to him that would inspire him to attack? Could we run away? What does my wife think? What about the kids? Could I possibly swing the gun like a club and knock the knife out of his hand? What does the law say about this situation? Does the Glock have appropriate safety built into it? Why am I carrying a loaded gun anyway, and what kind of message does this send to society and to my children? Is it possible he'd be happy with just killing me? Does he definitely want to kill me, or would he be content just to wound me? If I were to grab his knees and hold on, could my family get away while he was stabbing me? Should I call 9-1-1? Why is this street so deserted? We need to raise taxes, have a paint and weed day and make this a happier, healthier street that would discourage such behavior. This is all so confusing! I need to debate this with some friends for a few days and try to come to a consensus.

--------------------------------------------- Republican's Answer: BANG!

----------------------------------------------------------------------- Southern Answer: BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! click....(sounds of reloading). BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! click

Daughter: "Nice grouping, Daddy! Were those the Winchester Silver Tip Bullets????


87 posted on 07/20/2004 6:03:08 AM PDT by beachn4fun (The grumbling of the Liberals could be farts.)
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To: Spotsy; tomkow6; HiJinx
Thanks! One more thing before I go.

I took the liberty of naming this one:


tomkow

88 posted on 07/20/2004 6:03:29 AM PDT by Fawnn (Canteen wOOhOO Consultant and CookingWithPam.com person)
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To: Kathy in Alaska
Good Morning Ma!

89 posted on 07/20/2004 6:04:10 AM PDT by Spotsy (The news media should report the news, not manufacture it)
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To: Fawnn

ROTFL! That is some great artwork with the food - look at the fish in the corner!


90 posted on 07/20/2004 6:05:36 AM PDT by Spotsy (The news media should report the news, not manufacture it)
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To: Spotsy

HUH? WHAT?

91 posted on 07/20/2004 6:07:06 AM PDT by beachn4fun (The grumbling of the Liberals could be farts.)
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To: Kitty Mittens
Happy Tuesday Kitty Mittens!
92 posted on 07/20/2004 6:08:31 AM PDT by Spotsy (The news media should report the news, not manufacture it)
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To: Fawnn

Hi, Fawnn!

Hi, Fawnn's Mom!

93 posted on 07/20/2004 6:09:23 AM PDT by tomkow6 (........??????????????????????????????)
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To: beachn4fun

94 posted on 07/20/2004 6:10:00 AM PDT by Spotsy (The news media should report the news, not manufacture it)
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To: Spotsy

Good morning.


95 posted on 07/20/2004 6:10:05 AM PDT by Soaring Feather
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To: bentfeather

Good morning, Ms Feather! Did ya like today's YOKE?


96 posted on 07/20/2004 6:10:08 AM PDT by tomkow6 (........??????????????????????????????)
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To: tomkow6

mine


97 posted on 07/20/2004 6:10:26 AM PDT by tomkow6 (........??????????????????????????????)
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To: tomkow6

mine


98 posted on 07/20/2004 6:10:26 AM PDT by tomkow6 (........??????????????????????????????)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies]

To: tomkow6

mine


99 posted on 07/20/2004 6:10:27 AM PDT by tomkow6 (........??????????????????????????????)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies]

To: tomkow6

mine


100 posted on 07/20/2004 6:10:42 AM PDT by tomkow6 (........??????????????????????????????)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 99 | View Replies]


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