War in Ancient India c11.t1.33

c11.t1.33

Yāna: The next method is yāna. Kauṭalya explains abhyuncayo yānam and Ganapati Sastri comments śaktideśakāla.⁶² It means preparedness to march, having due regard to army, place and time. Different kinds of this yāna are distinguished. The chief are Sandhānaja (marching with ally), Pārṣṇirodha (attacking from the rear), Mitravigrahini (causing dissension between his ally and the enemy), Dvandvaja (taking the offensive without the crumbling of the defences), Nirvyāja (marching with an invincible army), Kulya (helped by his enemy's vassals) and Śigragāmini (to pretend to march against one enemy, but suddenly turn towards another).⁶³ An invading king could embark on a march after properly safeguarding his own State, if he felt confident that he would be able to destroy the enemy's works.⁶⁴ In a later section of the Kauṭalīya the diplomatic utility of the yāna is furnished.⁶⁵ If the conqueror finds his enemy beset by troubles, and his subjects disaffected and disunited, and his kingdom ravaged by pestilence and other ills, then he may attack (vigraha yānam). He could again resort to yāna if he found his allies in front and in the rear of his enemy; also he must get heavily backed by his own subjects. There was the Sandhaya yānam which was to lead an expedition against the enemy in front after making a peace with the rear enemy. The third was the sambhūya-prayānam or preparedness for march by a confederation of States of different resources, fixing the ratio of the spoils to be taken by them.