Cultural Study of Nisitha Curni

SR No.: 001743
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Madhu Sen
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar
Publication Year: 1975
Total Pages: 432
Language: English, Prakrit
Classification: Book_English, Agam, Canon, & Literature
File Size: 23 MB

Page 67

POLITY AND ADMINISTRATION
47
Wars-The wars were a common feature of the age in which a large number of people were killed. Although no mention of the righteous war (dharmayuddha )2 is made in the text, yet it seems that a certain moral code was desired to be observed during the war. An enemy who was seeking refuge (saranā gata) was not to be killed in spite of his act of damage to one's own troops. Somadeva believes that the frightened and the unarmed should not be killed in the battle; it is like killing a Brāhmana.
Taking revenge because of a woman was one amongst the many causes of war. This can be seen in case of Ajja Kālaga who waged war against king Gaddabhilla of Ujjayini with the help of 94 kings from Persia for kidnapping his nunsister.5 Sometimes the desire to acquire certain precious or sacred object like the image of a deity or a diadem also resulted in war. Udayana waged war on Pajjoya, because the latter had kidnapped a maid servant and the image of a deity from the farmers of the State. Due to the lack of proper demarcation of State boundaries, border conflicts between the neighbouring States frequently occurred.? Very often the martial spirit and the desire for self-aggrandisement was the main cause of fighting which led the powerful kings to exploit the smaller ones. In such cases usually the victorious kings were satisfied only by a formal acceptance of sovereignty and overlordship by the vanquished. Quite often the kingdom of the defeated king was re-entrusted in the hands of his nearest relative. In the NC. we find a victorious king giving back the kingdon to the crown-prince, i. e. the son of the defeated
1. G o a FUPER Haf-NC. 3, p. 203. 2. For the conception of dharmayuddha in ancient India see-- Altha
sāstra, 10.10.27. 3. TIT o vefsifa, uit FTOITETTH geftonifa--NC. 3, p. 148. 4. Tüy TETTİ CET SEET Hala-Nitivā., p. 364. 5. NO. 3, p 59. 6. NO. 3, p. 196. 7. ZC. 4, p. 311.