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POLITICAL HISTORY OF N. INDIA FROM JAIN SOURCES
Lāțadeśa in the time of Bhīma II, and Sajjana over Saurastra; Sritāta was danda pati as well as Prime Minister. But the general policy according to Somadeva was "Military authority should not be in political counsels." We may say in explaining this statement further that the war mongering, ammunition manufacturers and army commanders have no right to participate in the deliberations which are aimed at the establishment of enduring peace and order in the world.
It is said that at the time of war, to lead the army by the king himself is like the A śvamedha Sacrifice. The king of our period led the army in the battlefield as Bhoja did against Gāngeya and Kumārapāla against Arnorāja, Jayacandra against Paramardi and Pịthvirāja against Mohammad Ghori.
Sometimes feudatories and sometimes generals also led the army as Yaśodhavala Paramāra, a feudatory of Kumārapāla, invaded Konkana on behalf of his master and Gurjara-Brahma senāni of Kumārapāla attacked Ballāla.8
We find references to the battle drums in the Jain literature. The Tilakamanjari calls them sannahapațaha or samara-dakkā or samarabheri, The king mostly rode on elephants. The members of the royal household, the minister and their families, also used to accompany the marching forces. The journey was made on elephants, on horses or in bullock carts. Vaidyas and physicians were kept with the army. At the moment of departure, battle drums, conches and other instruments were played upon. The Dvyaśrya-kavya says that Jayasimha and his army used to cover about eight kośas (sixteen miles) in a day. They encamped at a suitable place, the encampment mostly happened to be like a small town where all the amenities were found. The Tilakamañ jari gives a very beautiful description of an army on march where a prince in charge of that army observes some religious rites, proceeds on his way, and encamps at a sea-shore. There a description of an encampment is given elaborately. We find there a detailed description of a naval invasion also.8
1 SGM., XVIII, pp. 103, 112. ? Ibid., p. 121. 3 Nitivā., p. 136: TEISTOT TATOT: Fy: 1 • Ibid., p. 369: : :AUT ST2941 5 See supra, pp. 267-275. • See supra, pp. 267-275. 7 DV., Canto 14, Vs. 12–18. • Kävya mālā Series, pp. 123-125.
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