War in Ancient India c12.41

c12.41

Again, in the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa,²¹ when Alarka, the fourth son of Madālasa, was reigning, his elder brother Subāhu wished to usurp the throne. So he sought Kāśirāja’s help and sent an ultimatum through an envoy. It was ‘Submit or fight.’ As befitted a Kṣatriya, Alarka offered battle and being defeated fled for life. That this was also a Tamil custom is seen from the fact that just on the eve of his expedition to the Ganges, Ceran Śenguṭṭuvan asked his minister to send envoys to the northern kings to the effect that unless they were prepared to recognise his suzerainty, he would meet them in open battle.²²