State and Government in Ancient India c21.11

c21.11

It would be, however, wrong to suppose that ancient Indian thinkers, while striving for harmony within the states, were indifferent for its realisation among the comity of nations. Almost all of them point out to the ambitious king that the appeal to the arms should be avoided as far as possbile;² an unrighteous war brings disgrace in this life and procures hell thereafter.³ The protracted negotiations between the Kauravas and the Pāṇḍavas and the readiness of the latter to be content even with five villages, will show that wars were not declared in hot haste in ancient India.