Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 146

Sec. VIIB] STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA 121 Fighting Services
The success of an army in war depends on the strength and character of the fighting services. So the army to be effective needs a large contingent of efficient, well-trained, well. disciplined, brave officers, technical experts and soldiers under an able and experienced general (Senāvai) and sufficient fighting equipments and latest weapons.
Besides the military personnels of the defence force, there must be a regular heirarchy of civil officers to help its organization. In this regard the BKS gives an idea of the composition of the fighting forces of that period.
According to the text the sovereign king, as the head of the state, was the commander-in-chief and he hiinself mobilized all his forces with the assistance of his staff-members and led the army in the battlefield together with his general (Senāvai)'.
In this connection it refers to very skilful military technical experts (cheyāyariya), and a body of high dignitaries of the state, such as, chieftain (gananāyaga ), judge (dandanayaga), frontier guard (randhivāla), ambassador (düya), Bhada, Cadagara (a class of royal officials;', etc. They followed the king in all battles along with the large contingent of foot soldiers.
It appears from this list of officers that both civil and military staff-members had to join the army and discharge their compulsory military duties in times of war without any excuse or objection to evade the call of the government, when the sovereignty of the state was threatened by the impending danger of war waged by a hostile power, Conscription
In this connection the Bhs throws some indirect light upon the system of military conscription introduced and enforced by the ancient state of Vaišāli Republic due to exigencies of war.
The Sramanopāsaka Nāganattua (Nāgaputra) Varuņa' a prominent citizen of l'aiśālī was perforce ordered by the king,
i BhS, 7, 9, 300, 301.
16
; 10, 7, 9, 303.
8 16,7,9, 303,