From: M P Bhattathiri <mpmahesh@asianetindia.com>
Mailing-List: list vediculture@yahoogroups.com
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2003 11:15:55 +0530
Subject: [world-vedic] VEDA AND WAR

War when to be Fought

According to Vedas, war with an enemy is normally to be started when 
he first attacks or intends to attack. It is not to be fought out 
simply to acquire the territory of any other country. At times of 
internal disturbances, the army is also required to suppress revolt 
etc. Army is intended for the help of the King under the 
eventualities.

Now this is very interesting. It says that a King will only attack to 
defend himself and not to conquer the territory of another country. 
Now compare this with Islam and Christianity. Both these religions 
have attacked the world as none other while India has never invaded 
any other country ever. While there are many reasons for India not 
having done so, the Vedas, the oldest schools of Indian thought 
pronounce a defensive approach. Since 1947, Bharat has fought 4 wars 
with Pakistan and not once did we start it. Even during the recently 
held Agra Summit it was the Pakis who were attacking the Indians by 
saying that Kashmir must be part of Pakistan, it was only after the 
Pakis attacked us did we respond. During the Summit, I did not hear 
India challenge the Pakistani position on the Accession of Jammu and 
Kashmir to India or non-adherence by Pakistan of the 1948 U N 
Resolution that Pakistan has been harping on for nearly 50 years.

O brave warriors, rise with your banners and prepare yourself for 
(battle) to protect the territorial boundaries of the country. O snake 
like swift warriors, O demons like men and other people, chase the 
enemy who attempts to attack. (Rig Veda 5.54.14, Atharva Veda 11.10.1)

O warriors, you cannot be conquered by any one, you can not be killed 
or subdued by any one; but you do not trouble any one nor plunder any 
area. You are assigned to protect the Kingdom. (Rig 5.54.7)

Qualifications of a Commander: In Vedas, commander-in chief is mostly 
addressed as Rudra or Maruta. Both these words indicate his quality. 
Rudra means fearless and Maruta means swift in action. He is to be a 
man of strong will, sturdy and of impressive physique, should be able 
to command and protect the country from internal as well as from 
external invasions.

O commander-in-chief! You are capable of taking to task the wicked 
persons. You possess the capacity and power to annihilate the enemy. 
You are equipped with requisite weapons. We pay our respect to you. 
(Yaju 16.1)

Some of the qualities required for a chief of an army are dealt in 
detail, in Rig Veda 2.33, Ath. 11.2. Only a few of them are noted 
below:

1. (Kavim) Fully conversant with the art of fighting a war (Rig 
1.114.4)

2. (Shvitichey) Possessing exemplary character. (Rig 2.33.8)

3. (Vajrabahu) Whose arms are like that of a sword. (Rig 2.33.3)

4. (Pururupa) Capable of handling all sorts of situations. (Rig 
2.33.9)

5. (Sahasrakshaya) Possessing a very watchful eye. (Yajur Veda)

6. (Avevirah) Outstanding warrior. (Ath. 19.12.2)

O commander-in-chief, you possess the capacity to fight out the enemy. 
You deploy weapons for destroying the enemy and protect the boundaries 
from invasion. (Yaju 16.3)

O brave warriors! March on fast, attack the enemy according to command 
of your officer, chase the enemy as a wolf worries the sheep, let not 
the enemy go out of your clutches alive, stop his breath (kill him). 
(Ath. 5.8.4)

Qualifications of a Warrior

Foremost qualification of warrior is that he must be deeply in love 
with his motherland. It is only then he can put his whole soul to save 
his motherland from all sorts of troubles.

A good warrior has almost the same qualities, which are possessed by 
the army commander.

1. (Urga, Rig 1.19.4) Swift to take action.
2. (Rig 1.19.4) Indomitable courage.
3. (Rig 1.19.5) fearless.
4. (Rig 1.37.2) Bright.
5. (Rig 1.37.1) Who is prepared to die for his cause.

The warrior should be brave, expert in the use of weapons, capable of 
defeating the enemy, should be expert (in driving and riding etc.) and 
in full know of army rules and affairs.

Valiant women are also to be recruited in the army who are bodily fit 
like men.

O queen, the slayer of foes, organize the band of the army of women, 
that may bewilder the hearts of the forces of the enemy, remain aloof 
from sin, convey him to thy soldiers, burn down the foes, whereby they 
may abide in utter darkness with hearts full of grief. (Yaju 17.44)

Can we Indians forget the heroics of the Rani of Jhansi or Ahilyabai 
Holkar?

General National Service

The idea of General National Service, as envisaged in the Indian 
constitution (Part IV-A), is not a new one and is derived from Vedas. 
The security of a country is the responsibility of every citizen. He 
must give a few years of his life for service to the Nation. In Vedic 
age brahmacharis (Scholars) were given military training in Ashramas. 
Hymn 8 of Rig Veda indicates this fact by the use of the words which 
means the general public (Rig 5.53.10 and 5.58.1) New recruits are to 
be taken every year to be posted at different places and in different 
cantonments of the same age and Maruta swift like the wind. National 
service, which in times of danger, develops into a nation in arms. 
Nationalism and National service grow hand in hand.

Tri-Service

Army alike these days, is divided into three categories viz. land, sea 
and air. We will deal with them one by one briefly.

a. Land forces (the queen of battle field):

Land and the people residing on it, shiver when the brave warriors 
march over, with all their equipments, bands, etc. (Rig 1.38.10)

Brave warriors you gracefully go both on land and in air. The vehicles 
will follow your path. (Rig 1.55.7)

O Commanding Officer! You are the holder of these lethal weapons, 
which have three edges, three effects and are effective against the 
enemy on earth, outer space etc. People on earth and in air or in 
other heavenly regions accept your power. (Ath. 11.10.2)

Warriors of the country, countless in numbers and in a very great 
strength march on the earth in lines and are posted at different 
places. (Yaju 16.54)

b. Air force:

Those warriors (air men) who come by airplanes are free from the 
effect of dust (Rig 1.168.4)

O warrior! You come through the shining sky. (Rig 1.6.9)

Warriors! Your enemy cannot trace you out in the space. (Rig 1.39.4)

We bow to you, O soldier, who flying in the outer space protects those 
living beings there. (Ath. 11.2.4)

c. Sea force:

The ships (sea horse) carry away necessary wealth, ration etc. for 
those soldiers who are stationed beyond sea. (Rig 1.167.2)

In this mantra a warrior is described as bird who travels in the sea 
underwater, which fact indicates that soldiers go under the sea, viz. 
in submarines. (Rig 5.52.9)

Special Honor for Brave Warriors

Vedas lay down that special respect, honor, should be accorded to army 
men, as they are the protectors of the country.

Respect for the warrior, respect to the commander, respect for all the 
ranks. Every essential item needed should be offered to those who are 
in the vehicles and also to those who drive these vehicles. Full honor 
should be bestowed on all those who fight the enemy either on land, in 
air or in the sea. This mantra also establishes the fact that the army 
is divided into three categories land force, air force and sea force. 
Not mere honor, but all kinds of facilities are to be provided to army 
men. Special type of clothing, proper nursing, food, living 
accommodation, clubs, play ground, hospitals, places for the prayers 
and educational facilities are to be provided to them. (Yaju 16.26)

A. Clubs

When this mantra is interpreted in relation to a soldier it means as 
under:

1. There should be assemblies of warriors.
2. They should be given chance to address others.
3. They should be taught to speak a well-considered and cultured 
language.
4. They should perform Agnihotra (sacrificial fire).
5. (Rig 1.66.2): They should play in playgrounds. (Rig 1.167.3)

B. Hospital, Medical Aid

O you Maruta! the commander will arrange for you all those medicines, 
which are pure and useful for the betterment of your health. (Rig 
2.33.13)

There is a simile in this verse. Just as children run hither and so 
also the soldiers during war go on all sides to save themselves from 
onslaught. All those soldiers who are tired, wounded, torn of their 
parts or the tainted ones should be removed immediately from the field 
and taken to safe places for providing them medical treatment. For the 
dead proper arrangements for their cremation are to be made. (Yaju 
17.48)

C. Military training

O warrior! you learn viz. training for parade etc. This whole hymn, 
seventh of eight mandala of Rig Veda deals with the training and 
equipment of soldiers. (Rig 8.7.2)

O warrior! you sometimes disguise yourself as human, sometimes as a 
horse and at other times as a pigeon to befoul the enemy. (Rig 
5.52.11)

This mantra refers to the training of the soldiers to entrap the enemy 
in a winding coil like circle. (Ath. 11.9.5)

The soldiers walk in line (parade) just as the birds do. (Rig 5.59.7)

Like men, women are also to be given military training.

O wife of the commander-in-chief! expert in the art of archery, 
trained by learned person, on persuasion, go afar, encounter the force 
of the enemy, and achieve victory by slaying them. Let not even one of 
those distant foes escape. (Yaju 17.45)

D. Arrangement of Food

Soldiers are served with curd. (Rig 1.64.2)

(Rig 1.87.1) Soldiers are provided with elixir.

(Rig 1.85.3) During journey, soldiers are to be provided with food, 
butter etc. Varieties of food to be given to them.

E. Clothing (Uniform):

Warrior's bodies should be well protected and provided with uniforms 
to look graceful. (Rig 5.57.6)

Soldiers should look graceful there with their well-built bodies and 
good dresses. They should be provided with bulletproof jackets. (Rig 
1.166.9)

F. Accommodation:

For accommodating large force of Army ruler is required to build 
cantonments. (Rig 1.64.10, Rig 1.165.1 and Rig 5.87.4).

The first two above indicate that the soldiers are to live in the same 
type of house. The third mantra means that the soldiers go out of the 
same type of an accommodation viz. barracks.

Oath Taking:

Devoid of all misdeeds we vow to serve the motherland. (Yaju 12.12)

Military Band

Hymns twelfth and twenty-first of fifth Kanda of the Atharva Veda deal 
mostly with war drums bands.

Let the war drums, which are meant for quick victory and known to all, 
roar loudly like oxen marked by strength among the cattle. Let these 
drums pierce the hearts of the adversaries with sorrow and let our 
routed enemies desert their villages.

The war-drums are also useful in the battlefields as they play great 
part in frightening the enemy and his forces. (Ath. 5.20.3)

Let the roar of the war-drums be loud spreading their noise all-around 
between earth and sky; let their sharp notes spread out in all 
directions, let them reign at the enemy to frighten him and his 
forces. They also encourage our army and our allies. (Ath. 5.20.7)

Let these war drums be victorious in battles, loudly roaring and 
becoming the means of seizing whatever may be seized and be witnessed 
by all. Let these war drums sound wonderful note and let the army 
commander capture all the possessions of the enemies. (Ath. 5.20.4)

Flag

May these one-minded wondrous armies holding the flag marked with sun, 
subjugate our enemies. (Whatever uttered herein is correct.) (Ath. 
5.21.12)

Let the red flag wave high in the sky when the army equipped with 
Trisandhi (three types of army, viz. land force, airforce and sea 
force) come out victorious. (Ath. 11.10.7)

Flags should fly on each vehicle carrying young commander or other 
warriors to distinguish as to whether it is our or that of the enemy's 
vehicle. (Ath. 15.19.13-11)

Attack the enemy having flying flags. (Ath. 11.10)

Equipment for the army

Unless the army is fully equipped in all respects it is not possible 
to win the war. Soldiers are, therefore, to be provided with all the 
necessary weapons, quick transport, medical facilities, requisite 
number of tanks and other carriers, airplanes, ships, etc. and above 
all, proper and adequate ration for the front. Weapons and carriers 
are to be manufactured in ordnance factories and supplied from other 
supply depots. What happened in 1962, you may ask? So much was this 
nation of ours taken by the Gandhian concept of non-violence that 
Nehru and his comrades like Acharya Kriplani neglected the defense 
needs of our country. Here, Gandhi did not follow the Vedas or the 
holy Geeta.

O you the producers of arms and ammunitions (ordnance factories) and 
you the supplier of the same, vouchsafe that the arms you are 
supplying are in good condition and shall never fail while in use by 
the warriors who are wholly and perfectly devoted to defend their 
motherland. (Yaju 16.10)

A brief list of army weapons, referred to in Vedas, is given below:

(1) (Yaju 33.46) equivalent to modern bomb. (2) (Yaju 10.21). (3) 
(Yaju 10.22). (4) It emits rays to destroy the enemy. (5) (Yaju 
16.11). It is not thrown like a bomb but used in fighting (6) (Yaju 
15.16). It is a very strong weapon. (7) (Ath. 11.10.2). It consists of 
three joints almost like a rocket. (8) (Ath. 11.10.3). In this weapon 
small pieces of iron are attached (9) (Ath. 11.10.3). It has a pin 
like nail at the mouth. (10) (Ath. 11.10.1). This weapon spreads 
smoke. (11) (Ath. 11.10.7). This weapon makes the enemy senseless. 
(12) (Ath. 11.9.7). It emits tear gas. (13) (Ath. 11.9.19). It emits 
fire.

Besides the above-referred ones, there are various kinds of (traps) 
mentioned in Vedas, which are to be used to capture the enemy. To name 
a few of them (Jaiyapasha) (Ath. 11.10.25), (Kavach Pasha) (Ath. 
11.10.25) (Naga Pasha) (Chakra Pasha), (Padma Pasha).

O the affluent commander, you with your hundred kinds of weapons and 
Pashas can push the enemy back. (Yaju 16.53)

O commander-in-chief, the thousands of weapons and traps that you 
possess can tear off the enemy. (Yaju 16.52)

Army Tactics

May your arms, namely your cannons, rifles, bow and arrows, swords, 
spears and all other war weapons be strong and firmly wielded by you 
to repel the wicked foe, bent upon injuring you as well as for 
opposing and setting at naught the force of his machinations against 
you. May your army, the strength of nation, be worthy of praise. (Rig 
1.39.2)

O Commanding-chief! if the enemy makes strong hold of the physical 
forces (against us) and through science produces effective means of 
shelter (trenches, forts etc.) taking all steps for the shelter of 
their persons, conquer him and take necessary steps to defeat him. 
(Ath. 11.10.17)

Cut off supplies, including food of the enemy's army. Kanda sixth and 
Mandal 65th and 66th of Atharva Veda deal with the subject of 
defeating the enemy's army by taking away or destroying his arms and 
ammunitions. (Ath. 4.22.6)

O commander! You make the enemy sick by use of gas or poison. (Ath. 
4.31.3)

By creating weakness, misfortune, pain, fatigue, languor, drowsiness I 
defeat the enemy. (Ath. 8.8.9)

Let the wings with tongues of fire and crest of smokes go conquering 
foe. (Ath. 11.9.19)

O enemy, there are spread the trap of death or the fatal missiles, of 
which you can never escape, and this complicated device would smite 
and slay thousands of your soldiers. (Ath. 8.8.16)

O Foe! get your share of the flame of death, hunger, exhaustion, 
slaughter and fear. Let the electricity and fire destroy you with 
snares and nets prepared specifically for the job. (Ath. 8.8.18)

Let the army of the foe of the ground be troubled in the eyes with 
smoke and gases and let them cry. (Ath. 11.10.7)

O brave and winner commander! you rise with your army, breaking the 
nests of the enemy and surround him as snake surrounds the prey with 
its winding coils. (Ath. 11.9.5)

In case of need use of chemicals for destroying the enemy is allowed.

Deadly poison may be mixed in the food or in the milk, or in the 
fruits etc. (Ath. 5.31.1)

To kill the enemy there are instructions that the powder glass be 
administered orally, in a bomb, etc. (Ath. 1.16.2)

Please join me praying to Ishwar that Indian leaders learn to take 
tough decisions, hurt - kill our opponents who do adharmic acts, allow 
the Indian Army to hit back hard and follow the concept of ahimsa as 
enunciated by the Holy Geeta. (To read about it please go to the 
section Why and read an article Why has Asceticism lead to the 
Weakening of India - last chapter).

SOURCE.

In his book, Defending India, Jaswant Singh wrote about the lack of 
strategic culture in India. DRDO wizard Dr Abdul Kalam had, during one 
of his talks wondered why Bharat had never invaded any other country 
in its 7,000 years plus history. While I am yet to find detailed 
answers to the questions posed by these men, I was always curious to 
know what did the Holy Vedas say on such matters. I was fortunate to 
find a book Chips from a Vedic Workshop by Inder Dev Khosla where he 
has briefly shared Military Science in the Vedas.