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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c8.s3: Causes of War

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c8.s3

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English

Causes of War

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The causes of war in ancient India could be classified under the following heads :—(1) It was the age of chivalry, and what worthier cause could there be than rescuing a damsel in distress or a maiden whom the knight-errant loved but who was to be married to others. Any insult to the women, however, had also to be avenged and this led to wars. The Paṇhavāgaraṇa mentions Sītā,⁵⁹ Dovai,⁶⁰ Ruppiṇī,⁶¹ Paumāvaī, Tārā,⁶² Kāñcanā,⁶³ Rattasubhaddā,⁶⁴ Ahinnikā, Suvaṇṇaguliyā,⁶⁵ Kinnarī, Surūpā, Vijjumai and Rohiṇī,⁶⁶ who were the causes of wars. Similar wars took place for Mallī⁶⁷ and Miyāvatī.⁶⁸ (2) The second cause of war was the aggressive spirit of certain rulers. The cause if analysed was not so trivial as the wish to possess certain jewels, etc., which found expression in forcing the weaker side to accept the will of the stronger side. There was a fight between Pajjoya and Dummuha over a diadem,⁶⁹ between Nami and Caṇḍajasa over an elephant,⁷⁰ between Kūṇiya and Ceḍaga over an elephant and the necklace.⁷¹ (3) The boundary dispute or the rise of a neighbouring state sometimes brought about war. (4) The war of Cakravartins, however, was fought not for aggrandisement but for the strength of the central government.

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⁵⁹ The story of Sītā is narrated in the Paumacariya.

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⁶⁰ Dovai's account is given in the Nāyādhammakahā (16).

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⁶¹ The war caused by carrying away of Ruppiṇī and Paumāvaī by Kṛṣṇa is described in the Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacarita (8. 6).

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⁶² The fight over Tārā is narrated in the Triṣaṣṭi (7. 6). Also cf Rāmāyaṇa, IV, 16

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⁶³ The stories of Kāñcanā, Ahinnikā, Kinnarī, Surūpā and Vijjumai, says Abhayadeva, are not known; however, Weber identified Ahinnikā with Ahalyā, the Indra's mistress in the Mahābhārata.

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⁶⁴ The war caused by the abduction by Arjuna of Subhadrā is narrated in the Triṣaṣṭi (8. 6).

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⁶⁵ The story of the war on the slave-girl Suvaṇṇaguliyā is narrated in the Uttarādhyayana Commentary (18, p 253 ff).

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⁶⁶ The story of the fight over Rohiṇī, the mother of Balarāma and the wife of Vasudeva, is narrated in Triṣaṣṭi (8. 4), Amulyacandra Sen, A Critical Introduction to the Paṇhavāgaraṇa, p. 49 f.

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⁶⁷ Nāyā. 8.

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⁶⁸ Āva cū., p. 89.

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⁶⁹ Uttarā Ṭī., 9, 135 f

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⁷⁰ Ibid., 9, 140 f.

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⁷¹ Āva. cū., II, p 172 ff

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