Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.699

c9.699

2) Vigraha. Fighting, i.e. war is vigraha. War is the result of mutual evil-doings. The king, who desires prosperity who is troubled by others and in whose favour time and circumstances are, should go in for war. The main causes of war are the following: the desire to capture kingdom, woman, position etc. haughtiness and imperiousness, obstruction to duties and rights, the interest of friends and allies, destruction to one's allies, both parties getting interested in one and the same thing etc. Enmity is engendered chiefly due to the following causes:-rivalry of co-wives, disputes about property and women, verbal controversies and wrongs committed. The following kinds of wars should not be fought:-Wars the benefit of which is meagre or futile; war which would cause harm in the present as also in future; with the enemy whose strength is not correctly known; incited by others, for others, on account of women, which would continue for long; with brahmins, where time and fate are not in favour; with him, who has powerful allies, though of temporary advantage but which will not be so in future; though of advantage in future but useless at present. The king should always do what will be of advantage at present as also in future. If one's own army is strong and enthusiastic and when the army of the adversary is not so, one may go in for war. Also, when all circumstances are in one's favour and against the antagonist one may fight.