War in Ancient India c5.s2.112

c5.s2.112

That the ancient Tamil kings were imbued with such lofty ideals and were solicitous for the wounded and the disabled is sufficiently manifest. The great Śangam poet, Nakkirar, describes how king Neḍuñjelian II behaved towards the wounded soldiers in his camp. At mid-night, despite the inclement weather and drenching rain, the king left his camp followed by a few attendants holding lighted torches and visited these suffering men and made kind and sympathetic enquiries of each soldier. Usually a general went in advance pointing out to the king the heroic men wounded in the previous day’s battle.¹¹⁰