IV.-MILITARY SCIENCE.

My voice is still for war,

Gods! can a Roman senate long debate

Which of the two to choose, slavery or death?

ADDISON: Cato.

CAPTAIN Troyer says: "All the traditions of the Hindus are filled with wars, in which religion certainly had its share. I have shown this sufficiently already, without being obliged to go back so far as the contests between the Suras and the Asuras."1

War as an art as well as a science was equally well understood in ancient India. The nation which overran nearly the whole of the habitable globe and produced Hercules, Arjuna, Sagarji, Bali could scarcely be considered inferior to any other people in their proficiency in military science.

Being skilful sailors from time immemorial, the Hindus were adepts at naval warfare. Colonel Tod says: "The Hindus of remote ages possessed great naval

Being the greatest commercial nation in the ancient world, and enjoying sea trade with nearly every part of the world (see "Commerce "), they were compelled to look to their navy to guard their trade and to make it sufficiently strong to ensure their position as the "mistress of the sea." Their position in the ancient world being similar to that of England in the modern world 1 Troyer on the Ramayana in the Asiatic Journal for October 1844, p. 514. 2 Tod's Rajasthan, Vol. II, p, 218,

so far as maritime affairs are concerned, their navy, too, was equally eminent and powerful. Manu mentions navigation to have existed among the Hindus from time immemorial. Strabo mentions a naval department in addition to the others in the Indian army.

Dhanur Veda, the standard work on Hindu military science being lost, the dissertations on the science found in the Mahabharata, the Agni Purana, and other works are the only sources of information on the subject left to us. Dr. Sir W. Hunter says: "There was no want of a theory of regular movements and arrangements for the march, array, encampments, and supply of troops. They are all repeatedly described in the Mahabharata."1 Mr. Ward says: "The Hindu did not permit even the military art to remain unexamined. It is very certain that the Hindu kings led their own armies to the combat, and that they were prepared for this important employment by a military education; nor is it less certain that many of these monarchs were distinguished for the highest valour and military skill.""

The ancient Hindu tactics of war were as original as valuable. It is said that the Hindus divided their army in the following manner (1) Uras or centre (breast), (2) Kakshas or the flanks, (3) Pakshas or wings, (4) Praligraha or the reserves, (5) Koti or vanguards, (6) Madhya or centre behind the breast, (7) Prishtha or back-a third line between the madhya and the reserve. Array of forces in action is generally termed vyuha. Indian Gazetteer, "India," p. 223.

2 See the Theosophist for March 1881, p. 124.

3 The sage Brihaspati was a great teacher of military science, but unfortunately none of his works is now extant.

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Some ryuhas are named from their object. Thus : (1) Madhyabhedi = one which breaks the centre, (2) Antar bhedi that which penetrates between its division. More commonly, however, they are named from their resemblance to various objects. For instance (1) Makaravyuha, or the army drawn up like the Makara, a mire monster. (2) Syenavyuha, or the army in the form of a hawk or eagle with wings spread out. (3) Sakalavyuha, or the army in the shape of a waggon. (4) Aradha chandra, or half moon. (5) Sarvatobhadra, or hollow square. (6) Gomutrika, or echelon. (1) Danda or staff, (2) Bhoja or column, (3) Mandala or hollow circle, (4) Asanhata or detached arrangements of the different parts of the forces, the elephants, cavalry, infantry severally by themselves. Each of these vyuhas has subdivisions; there are seventeen varieties of the Danda, five of the Bhoga and several of both the Mandala and Asanhata.1

In the Mahabharata (Vol. VI., pp. 699-729), Yudhishtera suggests to Arjuna the adoption of the form of Suchimukha, or the needle point array (similar to the phalanx of the Macedonians), while Arjuna recommends the vajra or thunderbolt array for the same reason. Duryodhana, in consequence, suggests Abhedya, or the impenetrable.

In their land army, the Hindus had, besides the infantry and the cavalry, elephants and chariots also. The elephants," the living battering rams," as Macaulay

1 See Agni Purana. "The most important part of Hindu battles is now a cannonade. In this they greatly excel, and have occasioned heavy losses to us in all our battles with them. Their mode is to charge the front and the flanks at once, and the manner in which they perform this manoeuvre has sometimes called forth the admiration of European antagonists,"Elphinstone's History of India, p. 82.

calls them, were a source of great strength when properly managed and skilfully supported by other arms. Of the elephants given by Chaudragupta to Seleucus, Professor Max Dunker says: "These animals a few years later decided the day of Ipsus in Phrygia against Antogonus, a victory which secured to Seleucus the territory of Syria, Asia Minor, etc." According to Ctesias, Cyrus was defeated and killed by the enemy, only because of the strong support the latter received from the Indian elephants. 1

As regards the soldierly qualities of the Indians even of the present day, Sir Charles Napier, one of the highest authorities on the subject, says: "Better soldiers or braver men I never saw, superior in sobriety, equal in courage, and only inferior in muscular strength to our countrymen. This appears to me, as far as I can judge, the true character of the Indian army in the three Presidencies, and I have had men of each under my command."2

The chivalrous conduct of the Indian sepoys on the occasion of the defence of Arcot by Clive, and when, towards the close of the war with Tippu in 1782, the

The proficiency of the Indians in this art (management of elephants) early attracted the attention of Alexander's successors; and natives of India were so long exclusively employed in this service, that the term Indian was applied to every elephant-driver, to whatever country he might belong."-Wilson's Theatre of the Hindus, Vol. I, p. 15.

"In war, the King of India was preceded by 10,000 elephants and 3,000 of the strongest and the bravest followed him."-Max Dunker's History of Antiquity.

Sixty years after the death of the Enlightened, the Indians assisted the Persian King, the successor of Darius in the invasion of Greece, when they trod the soil of Hellas and wintered in Thessaly. They defeated the Greeks and saw the temple of Athens in flames.— Max Dunker's History of Antiquity, Vol. IV, p. 384.

2 The Indian Review (Calcutta) for November, 1885, p. 181.

whole of the force under General Mathews were made prisoners is well known. The sepoys magnanimously and spontaneously contrived with great personal risk to send every pie of their petty savings to their imprisoned officers, saying: "We can live upon anything, but you require mutton and beef." The conduct of the Indian sepoys shown on such occasions sheds lustre on the whole profession. General Wolsley, in a paper on courage," " contributed to a journal, highly eulogised the bravery of the Indian sepoys. "During the siege of Lucknow," he said, "the sepoys performed wonderful feats of valour."

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Mr. Elphinstone says: "The Hindus display bravery not surpassed by the most warlike nations, and will throw away their lives for any considerations of religion or honour. Hindu sepoys, in our pay have in two instances advanced after troops of the king's service have been beaten off; and on one of these occasions they were opposed to French soldiers. The sequel of this history will show instances of whole bodies of troops rushing forward to certain death."1

Clive, Lawrence, Smith, Coote, Haliburton and many others speak of the sepoys in the highest terms.

Now as regards the weapons used by the Hindus. Professor Wilson is assured that the Hindus cultivated archery most assiduously, and were masters in the use of the bow on horseback. Their skill in archery was wonderful. "Part of the archery practice of the Hindus consisted in shooting a number of arrows at once, from four to nine at one time." Arjuna's feats in archery at the tourna

1 Elphinstone's History of India, p. 198.