Public Administration in Ancient India c19.46

c19.46

The ancient law-givers also lay down similar rules.² Manu says: “ When he fights with his foes in battle, let him not strike with weapons concealed, nor with (such as are) barbed, poisoned, or the points of which are blazing with fire. Let him not strike one who (in flight) has climbed on an eminence, nor a eunuch, nor one who joins the palms of his hands (in supplication), nor one who (flees) with flying hair, nor one who sits down, nor one who says, ‘I am thine,’ nor one who is asleep, nor one who has lost his coat-of-mail, nor one who is naked, nor one who is disarmed, nor one who looks on without taking part in the flight, nor one who is fighting with another foe; nor one whose weapons are broken, nor one afflicted (with sorrow), nor one who has been grievously wounded, nor one who is in fear, nor one who has turned to flight; (but in all these cases let him) remember the duty (of honourable warriors). . . Thus has been declared the blameless primeval law for warriors, from this law a Kshatriya must not depart, when he strikes his foes in battle.”¹