FReeper Canteen ~ Part XII of War in Ancient India ~ September 28, 2004

A Tribute to Hinduism ^ | September 28, 2004 | LaDivaLoca

[LaDivaLoca]

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ANCIENT WARFARE





Part XII: War in Ancient India

Diplomacy and War

Not withstanding the elaborate rule of war laid down in the epics and the law-books, insisting in the main that to wage war was the duty and privilege of every true Ksatriya, in several cases the horrors of war made the belligerent think of the consequences and avoid outbreak of hostilities by a well calculated policy which we now term diplomacy. 

King seeking counsel

Negotiation, persuasion and conciliation were cardinal points of the ancient Indian diplomatic system, and were effective instruments in averting many a war, which would otherwise have realized in much bloodshed and economic distress. 

The political term for diplomacy is naya, and the opinion of Kautalya, the eminent politician of the 4th century B.C., a king who understands the true implications of diplomacy conquers the whole earth.

The history of diplomacy in ancient India commences with the Rig Veda Samhita, and the date of its composition may be taken as far back as the Chalcolithic period. In the battles the help of Agni is invoked to overcome enemies. He is to be the deceiver of foes. In pursuing his mission to a successful end, the use of spies is mentioned. This bears eloquent testimony to the system of espionage prevalent so early as the time of the Rig Veda Samhita. In the battle of the Ten Kings described in the seventh mandala, we find diplomacy of rulers getting supplemented by its association with priestly diplomacy, which exercised a healthy influence on the constitutional evolution.

International Relations - The picture presented in the epics and the Arthasastra literature seems to be confined to the four corners of Bharatkhanda. The intercourse as envisaged in the literature, shows relations to be more commerical than political in character. 

Strabo quotes Megasthenes and says that Indians were not engaged in wars with foreigners outside India nor was their country invaded by foreign power except by Hercules and Dionsysius and lately by the Macedonians. There were friendly relations of Chandragupta with Seleukos Nikator, of Bindusara with Antiochus, of Asoka and Samadragupta with Lanka, of Pulaskesi with Persians, of Harsha with Nepal and China, of the Cholas with Sri Vijaya. 

"It was always regarded as a legitimate object of the ambition of every king to aim at the position of Cakravartin or Sarvabhuuma (paramount sovereign or of supreme monarch)." This ambition was legitimate and had no narrow outlook about it. It was a fruit to be sought after by every one of the monarchs comprising the mandala. If the king is not actuated by this idea, he falls short of an ideal king according to the Hindu Rajadharma. 

Diplomatic agents - ambassadors

Bhisma mentions seven qualifications as essential in an ambassador: he should come from a noble line, belong to a high family, be skilful, eloquent of speech, true in delivering the mission, and of excellent memory.

Espionage in War - Spies filled an important role in both the civil and military affairs of ancient India. The institution of spies had a greater utility, as the king could take action on the report of the spies. Spies were engaged to look after the home officials, including those of the royal household as well as to report on the doings in the enemy kingdoms. The Rig Veda Samhita, often speaks of spies (spasah) of Varuna. Only men of wisdom and purity were sent on this errand, thus suggesting that they should be persons above corruption and temptation of any sort. In the epics and post-epic literature in general, spies have been described as the 'eyes of the king'. In the Udyoga-parva (33, 34) of Mahabharata, it is stated that "cows see by smell, priests by knowledge, kings by spies, and others through eyes." Spies roamed about in foreign states under various disguises to collect reliable information. In the Ramayana, a king mentions the wise adage that "the enemy, whose secrets have been known through espionage, can be conquered without much effort." The Arthashastra, which predates Christ by centuries, dwells at length on the importance of espionage and the creation of an effective spy network.

Such details may indicate the high development of the science of diplomacy in ancient India. It was the famous Indian strategist of the fourth-century B.C, Kautilya in the Arthasastra, who gave the world the dictum:

 "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"The same style of Indian thought" says Heinrich Zimmer in his book, Philosophies of India, p. 139, admiringly of Kautilya, "that invented the game of chess grasped with profound insight the rules of this larger game of power."

Attitude to war - The Sangam age of the Tamils was the heroic age of the Tamil Indians. If the men of the Tamil land were heroes, then their women were heroines. A certain mother was asked where her son was, and she replied, that she was sure that the tiger that had lain in her womb would be found in the field of battle. War was the pabulum on which our ancient warriors were great in name and fame. A certain lady who gave birth to only one son and who sent hime to the field of battle when there was the country's call for it. Okkurmasattiyar, a poetess, praises a certain lady dresses the hair of her only son and gives him the armor to get ready for action in the field of battle. This may be contrasted with another where a heroic mother heard the disquieting news that her son lost his courage in action and had fled in fear. If it were true, she expressed that she would cut off her breasts that had fed him with milk. With this determination she entered the battle-field with sword in her hand and went on searching for her fallen son. When she saw her son's body cut in twain, she felt much more happy than when she gave birth to him. (source: Puram 277 and 279 - in Tamil ).

Flags - The origin and use of flags can be traced to the earliest Indian literature, the Rig Veda Samhita. The term deaja occurs twice in the Veda. Besides, dhvaja, we meet with a good number of expressions for a banner in Vedic literature. These are Akra, Krtadhvaja, Ketu, Brhatketu, Sahasraketu. It appears that the Vedic host aimed their arrows at the banners of the enemy. The idea was that once the banner was captured, or struck, a claim was made for success in the battle over the enemy. Ketu was a small flag as contrasted with Brhatketu or the big flag. Sahasraketu may be a thousand flag, or as the knight who brought under control a thousand flags of enemies. We are told that banners and drums were counted among the insignia of ancient Vedic kings. In the Mahabharata war, every leader had his own insignia to distinguish one division from the other. Arjuna had the Kapidhvaja or the flag with the figure of Hanuman, Bhisma, Taladhvaja, cognizance of a palmyra tree etc..

Next Tuesday, Part XIII of War in Ancient India

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I know just what you mean!

[Darksheare]

And Moore just has that sleazy smirk on his face like "Ah you poor suckers are paying me for this?"

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

040925-N-0295M-028 Naval Air Station Oceana, Va. (Sept. 25, 2004) - Six F-14 Tomcats conduct a flyby in close formation at the start of the tactical air power demonstration at the 2004 "In Pursuit of Liberty," Naval Air Station Oceana Air Show. The demonstration showcased multiple F-14 Tomcats and F/A-18 Hornets displaying various maneuvers and simulated bomb and staffing passes in front of the crowd. The F-14 Tomcats are assigned to the "Red Rippers" of Fighter Squadron Eleven (VF-11) and the "Black Lions" of Fighter Squadron Two One Three (VF-213). The air show, held Sept. 24-26, showcased civilian and military aircraft from the Nation's armed forces, which provided many flight demonstrations and static displays. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McLain (RELEASED)

040925-N-0295M-087 Naval Air Station Oceana, Va. (Sept. 25, 2004) - A U.S. Air Force A-10A Thunderbolt II takes off for a flight demonstration and the 2004 "In Pursuit of Liberty," Naval Air Station Oceana Air Show. The air show, held Sept. 24-26, showcased civilian and military aircraft from the Nation's armed forces, which provided many flight demonstrations and static displays. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McLain (RELEASED)

040922-N-4374S-012 Arabian Gulf (Sept. 22, 2004) - An E-2C Hawkeye assigned to the “Tigertails” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron One Two Five (VAW-125) makes an arrested landing aboard the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67). Kennedy and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Seventeen (CVW-17) are operating in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Units attached to the Kennedy Carrier Strike Group (CSG) are working closely with Multi-National Corps-Iraq and Iraqi forces to bring stability to the sovereign government of Iraq. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2 Class Michael Sandberg (RELEASED)

[BykrBayb]

No word since 9/6/04. He said he'd call me the next day, but hasn't. I know if there was a problem somebody would tell me, but I still wish he'd call.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Oh my gosh. That must be so hard. From one Mom to another. My prayers for your son. I hope he calls really soon. I will keep him in my thoughts.

[GummyIII]

[Kathy in Alaska]

DBR.....are you safe tonight?.....#250!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Angel Boy.....#100 and #200!!

[Mudboy Slim]

I'll never win this psuedo-Mensa contest, but I reckon I'll git smarter just trying to keep up with y'all...good evenin', ma'am...MUD

[Kathy in Alaska]

beach.....#150!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

/ end tale of woe and torment.

Good evening, Ds.

[HiJinx]

The first of a series of that sunset, the night we went to the Royal Hawaiian Luau...that pit to the left is where the pig was roasting!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Police guard their faces from the intense heat of a burning oil pipeline near al-Fahhama, Iraq. The east Baghdad oil field was reportedly blown up by saboteurs.

"....reportedly blown up by saboteurs."

Radix, this caption begs your comment.

[Kathy in Alaska]

A sailboat sails off into the sunset on Lake Winnebago in Sherwood, Wis., and what a sunset it is.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Button up your wool coat: Fall has barely begun, but it's already snowing in Davos, Switzerland, forcing shepherds to move their flocks to lower elevations.

[Soaring Feather]

Nothing like a pig roasting in a pit. We used to do that every fall. Folks came from miles around to have a large Fall blast.

[Kathy in Alaska]

GALAPAGOS ISLAND--Coast Guard law enforcement teams seized 26,250 pounds of drugs on the fishing vessel San Jose, 500 miles west of the Galapagos Islands. The Coast Guard seized a record 240,518 pounds of cocaine, worth approximately $7.7 billion during fiscal year 2004. The previous annual record of 138,393 pounds was surpassed May 29 with the seizure of 4,300 pounds of cocaine off a go-fast vessel in the Eastern Pacific. U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO

[Kathy in Alaska]

Great pictures of the air show, and the USS Kennedy, EMB. Severa...did you and the boys get to see the air show?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hey, Carl.....just in case Meekie already went to bed....I sure could use a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. The snow has melted and been replaced with rail.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, TM, for the fresh coffee, in the "perfect" mug, and inspiration for our troops.