Indian culture has a distinct claim to a higher antiquity of the dynasty of kings. Their main duty was to protect the kingship by which they can even protect their subject. To maintain their own sovereignty, they invaded the other country, captured the people, young ladies, forts etc., and looted the wealth. Their warfare has developed on mechanical lines, giving less scope for the qualities of courage and individual leadership.
War is actually political institution
and a necessary evil. In ancient times,
the laws of war were designed to bring out the best and not the worst of human
traits. Chivalry, individual heroism,
qualities of mercy and notability of outlook even in the grimmest of struggles
were not unknown to the soldiers of ancient India. Thus among the laws of war, one can find that
(1) a warrior in armour 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.
Regular and proper
organisation are the life and soul of an army.
Owing to peculiar geographical features, with vast plains interspersed
with forests, the ancient Indian State had to make extensive use of mounted
forces which comprised chariots, elephants, cavalry and infantries,
collectively known as Caturangabala.
Divisions of
the Army
The traditional fourfold
force was thus described.
एतन्मौलादिषड्भेदं
चतुरङ्गं बलं विदुः। षडङ्गं मन्त्रकोशाभ्यां पदात्यश्वरथद्विपैः॥
Army was regarded as a
six-fold force, Mantra or the force of counsel and Kosa or the power of the
treasury being added to the original four divisions.
Chariots were used in warfare from very remote times. There are different
terms like Ratin, Suta and Saarathi used to denote the charioteer. The Suta type charioteer was the one who
become horse-trainer, physician.
Chanakya mentioned them as Rathaadhyaksha = Superintendent of Chariots in
his ArthaSastra. It also mentions that "हस्त्यध्यक्षो हस्तिवनरक्षां दास्यकर्मक्षान्तानां
हस्तिहस्तिनीकलभानां.........चिकित्सकानाकस्थायुकवर्गं चानुतिष्ठेत्॥" - a special officer of the state
for the care of elephants, and lays down his duties and other particulars
connected with that office.
Characteristics
of A Good Army
The Sukraniti further
describes the characteristics of agood army.
In short this political treatise envisages that “गुल्मीभूतंसाधिकारि स्वस्वामिकमगुल्मकम्। दत्तास्त्रादि
स्वामिना यत् स्वशस्त्रास्त्रमतोऽन्यथा॥” - two kinds of recruitment - Gulmibhuta answering to the
standing army, and Agulmaka corresponding to the mercenary troops.
Units of the Army
The Indian army was divided in to Pathi, Senamukha, Gulma, Gana, Vahini,
Pruthanaa, Chamoo, Aneekinee, and Akshauhinee.
These divisions roughly correspond to our modern battalions, regiments,
companies etc., An akshauhinee consisted
of 21,870 Chariots, 21,870 Elephants, 65,610 horses and 1,09,350 foot-soldiers, says Amarakosa thus
आधोरणा हस्तिपका हस्त्यारोहा निषादिनः
। नियन्ता
प्राजिता यन्ता सूतः क्षत्ता च सारथिः।
सव्येष्ठदक्षिणस्थौ च संज्ञा रथकुटुम्बिनः
। रथिनः
स्यन्दनारोहा अश्वारोहास्तु सादिनः।
भटा योधाश्च योद्धारः सेनारक्षास्तु
सैनिकाः। सेनायां
समवेता ये सैन्यास्ते सैनिकाश्च ते।
बलिनो ये सहस्रेण साहस्रास्ते सहस्रिणः। परिधिस्थः परिचरः सेनानीर्वाहिनीपतिः।
Some of the Important works
ArthaSastram Dhanurveda HariharaChaturanga Ramayanam MahaBharatam Manasollasa of Somesvara and Sukranitisaram
(This blogpost is a part of Blogchatter's #BlogchatterA2Z)
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