Political History of Northern India

SR No.: 001744
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Gulabchandra Chaudhary
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar
Publication Year: 1954
Total Pages: 482
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, History, & Culture
File Size: 10 MB

Page 409

STATE AND ADMINISTRATION
379
The State-policy and heroic valour of the conquering monarch are mostly to add to his wealth and more so to add territory to the kingdom. To avoid conflict it is advised that a weak king may sign a treaty with a strong monarch offering him the income of the land, 2 for it is no good to fight with a hero. It is also advised that if victory in war be doubtful, peace must be concluded even with one equal in every respect.4
Thus, we learn from the above chapters dealing with the dynasties that most of the kings of our period followed the above instructions. The later Paramāras, being weak in rule, mostly remained in peace with the Caulukya king of Gujaräta.
Ethics of War: Like his predecessors, Kautilya and Kāmandaka, Somadeva also divides conquest into three categories: (1) dharma-vijaya (battle according to the rules of dharma), (2) lobha-vijaya (battle through covetousness), (3) asura-vijaya (battle involving adharma).5 In another place, in the chapter of yuddha, Somadeva refers to kūța-yuddha and tūşni danda, the two kinds of the conquest. By the first he means the attack pretended to be made over one, but made over another. And by the second he means the silent war by undesirable means such as the use of poison, incantation, etc. He does not, however, refer to dharma-yuddha as Kautilya does. Perhaps during our period, there was no conception or ideal of dharma-yuddha. Somadeva, however, like his predecessors, enjoins the diplomatic means of Sama, Upapradana (Dāna) and Bheda as the precautionary measure to avoid war. He states that if the enemy be subdued by reconciliation the armed conflict should be avoided.? But as a true politician he says that if the only means to overcome the enemy be the armed conflict, to adopt the other diplomatic measures is like putting the oblation in the fire.
A powerful king should not pardon the guilty one, for to pardon him is to court insult.
1 Ibid., p. 344. 2 Ibid., p. 330. 3 Ibid., p. 362. • Ibid., P. 326. 6 Ibid., p. 362, sutras 70-73. 6 Ibid., pp. sutras 90-91. ? Ibid., p. 351 : THESİ EHTED 7 a 8 Ibid., p. 351 : TUSHTET Fagar aikana.
Ibid., p. 338 : GRITORIES THAT H JETTAT: faceart: /