11. Practice of Warfare

From the various descriptions of fights, battles and wars, general idea can be gathered regarding the practice of warfare as reflected in the Brahma- Purana. It states that lord Nrsimha came out of the pillar of the assembly-hall and killed Hiranyakasipu with his nails. He killed all the daityas who had taken various forms and who resided in various places like Rasatala, ocean, river, village, forests, sky and constellations 67 Cr.ed. 151.21-22; vide Kane P.V., for different tables from different Parvans, Op.Cit., PP.204-205. 68 For information vide Vajhe krsnaji vinayaka Pracina yuddhavidya- (in Marathi).

1099 He was by whirling round his body (149.1-10). A terrible fight ensued between lord Nrsimha and Ambarya, lord of Dandaka. invincible and both of them showered sastras and astras over Finally, lord Nrsimha killed him (149.10-12). each other. Lord krsna threw Kamsa on the floor, jumped on him, pulled his hair and he was dead (192.72-75). After the death of Kamsa, a terrible fight ensued between Jarasandha, king of Magadha and father-in-law of Kansa and lord krsna. He had 23 aksauhini armies and he circumambulated Mathura from all the sides. Krsna and Balarama came out with a small band of soldiers. Krsna held his original weapons Sudarsana cakra, Saranga bow, an inexhaustible quiver full of arrows and the Kaumodaki Gada whereas Balarama held his favourite weapons Hala and Musala. Jarasandha was defeated eighteen times (A.195). On hearing about the strength of the yadavas from the sage Narada, king Kalayavana of the south equipped his army with elephants, hoses and chariots and proceeded for Mathura together with an army of Mlecchas. When lord krsna knew about his proceedings, he thought that seeing the opportunity Jarasandha $ also might bring an attack from his side and the yadava army would not be able to cope up with both of them. So he constructed

1100 the city Dwaraka with a fort and made such arrangements that even women could fight from inside. Krsna went to Mathura. Seeing him without weapons, Kalayavana followed him. Krsna entered a cave and concealed himself. sleeping there. The king Mucakunda was Thinking him to be a lord krsna, Kalayavane kicked him and was eventually burnt by fire emanating from the eyes of king Mucakunda (196.1-20) i.e. by a feat of diplomacy Shri krsna managed to divert the wrath of the powerful Mucakunda against Kalayavana. In olden times, king Mucakunda had defeated many daityas (196.21). King Bhismaka ruled the city Kundinapura of the country Vidarbha. Krsna carried away his daughter Rukmini on the day previous to her marriage with king Sisupala. Balarama and the other yadavas defeated the kings Paundra, Viduratha, Dantavaktra, Sisupala, Jarasandha and Salva. Krsna defeated Rkmi together with his caturanga army (199.1-10). This episode shows how rivalry for a bride led to war between two parties. Pradyumna learnt all the Mayas from Mayavati and destroyed the army of smbara by the use of the seven Mayas and killed Sambara by the use of the eighth Maya. This shows how besides the weapons, Maya's were used in a battle (200.18,19). These may be strategies in war. The Br.P.provides

1101 instances how a small thing lead to disaster. Balarama got irritated with Rm as he played disfraudulently and killed him with the dice-pieces. Balarama during the dice-play, Balarama pressed him with all his strength and broke down his teeth. Balarama then pulled out the golden pillar from the assembly hall and killed all the enemies from the side of Rim As the king of Kalinga poked fun of (201.18-26). Lord krsna killed the daitya Mura and his 7,000 sons, Hayagriva, Pancajana and many other daityas of the army of the king Naraka after cutting the Pasas which protected his city for hundred yojanas with his cakra. Finally, he killed Naraka by his cakra (202.16-21). A graphic description of war is provided in the quarrel for the Parijata tree between Indra and krsna. Indra arose with his thunderbolt and all the gods accompanied him with Parigha, gada, sula, khadaga and other weapons. Lord krsna blew his Pancajana conch and started showering arrows. All the directions and the sky were covered with arrows. Lord krsna cut all the weapons and Garuda pierced into pieces all the serpents. Lord krsna powdered the danda of Yama into thousand pieces by his mace and the sibika of Kubera also was pierced into pieces by his cakra. The Sun and Moon were deprived of their lustre, and the lustre of Agni was also shattered to pieces.

1102 The eight Vasus also met death at the hands of krsna. The front portions of the tridents of the eleven Rudras were cut by the edge of the cakra, The sadhyas, visvedevas, Maruts and Gandharvas were also afflicted by the arrows of the sarangaholder krsna. Then Indra and krsna showered innumerable arrows over each other and a terrible g fight followed between Airavata and Garuda. When all the astras and sastras were exhausted, Indra released his thunderbolt but lord krsna held it in his hand. The thunderbolt lost its power. Garuda defeated Airavata and both Indra and Airavata ran away from the battlefield (203.46-60). A battle was considered to be the most covetous thing for a ksatriya. Without a battle, the hands were useless, Banasura actually desired to fight in order to use his thousand hands. Therefore, when he know that Aniruddha, the grandson of lord krna, was enjoying with kx his daughter Usa, he asked his servants to capture him but Aniruddha killed all of them with his Parigha. As Banasura was unable to defeat Aniruddha, he captivated him by the use of the Pannagastra (206.2-9). Krsna went to the city of Banasura with Balarama and Fradyumna and fought with the pramathas. All the pramathas were killed. Then lord krsna fought with Mahesvara jvara who had three heads and three feet. The jvara threw Bhasma over them which scorched them and Balarama had to close his eyes. Krsna then sent the

1103 vaisnava jvara after Mahesvara jvara and the latter was defeated. Lord krsna then destroyed the five fires and the whole army of the danavas. Lord Siva and Kartikeya came to the rescue of Banasura and the whole world was perturbed thinking that the time of pralaya had arrived. Lord krsna released the jrmbhanastra and lord Siva began to yawn. He had to give up fighting and sit on the backside of the chariot. Kartikeya. Garuda and Pradyumna harassed When Banasura saw that Balarama was striking his plough and Musala and krsna was throwing the arrows profusely, he fought terribly with all his might. Finally, lord krsna released the cakra and cut the hands of Bana and when krsna was on the point of annihilating him, Bana was saved by lord Siva's request. In this fight, the mantras too were recited for the destruction of the enemy (206.9, 12-40). A king Paundraka Vasudeva believed himself to be lord krsna Vasudeva and he assumed all the signs of lord krsna and challenged krsna for a fight. The king of Kasi came to help him but lord krona defeated both of them with their armies (207.23-25). The monkey Dvivida attacked Balarama with a slab of stone and Balarama killed him with his Musala and fists (209.17-20). At the time of their final destruction, the yadavas fought with each other with weapons and eraka grass (211.45,46). Lord Rama killed Vali and coronated Sugriva on the throne of Kiskindha. Then he killed Lavana, the son of the

1104 demon Madhu residing in the Madhuvana and the demons Marica, Finally, he killed Ravana and Subahu, Viradha and Kabandha. the Gandharvas. The sage Visvamitra had given him many weapons and he had broken a bow belonging to lord Siva in the assembly of king Janaka (213.135.143). The demon Dhundhu was covered with water and fire. By his yogic power, the king Kuvalasva drank the water, extinguished fire and killed the demon Dhundhu (7.83-84). King Raji helped the gods and defeated the danavas (11.1-10). Indra killed Namuci by foam. The fight shows how sometimes the evil practices were followed. A terrible fight ensued between Indra went out Being afraid of Namuci, the king of daityas, and Indra. of the battlefield out Namuci followed him. him, Indra entered the ocean and covering thunderbolt with foam, he killed Namuci. Maya, the brother of Namuci, decided to take revenge. He learnt various types of mayas, practised penance and gave dana to brahmins in order to gain victory over Indra. But Indra played a fraud, come in the guise of a brahmin and asked the friendship of Maya in dana Maya granted it. That one should attain one's end by whatever means was the policy adopted. Sukracarya says that it is a folly to lose one's object and therefore a dever king should suffer insult and humiliation at the outset to secure ultimate victory. 60 69 Apamanam puraskrtya manam krtva tu prstatah 1 Svakaryam sadhayet prajnah karyadhvamso hi murkhata iv.vii.363. " Namuci

1105 then advised Indra to kill the issue in Diti's womb. Accordingly Indra at first served Diti and seeing the opportunity pierced the embryo cutting it into pieces (124.32-52). Besides the types mentioned above the Brahma Purana provides an instance of mustiyuddha. In the fight between lord krsna and Jambavan, there is no reference to the use of weapons and it appears that this was an instance of first-fight which lasted for twenty one days.70 10 An idea of Mallayuddha can be gathered from the description of the one fought between krsna and Balarama on the one side and Canura and Mustika on the other side. They fought for a very long time and adopted ksepana, musti and strokes of feet. Then the lord krsna held Canura and whirled him round in the air and threw him on the floor and Canura was dead. Balarama struck Mustika with his fists on his head and with knees on his chest. Then he threw him down on the floor and struck the fists with his left hand and thus killed him (193.53-66). There is a reference of imprisonment of Ravana by king Sahasrarjuna but on being requested by Pulastya, Ravana was released (13.184-187). When krsna killed Kamsa, he released Ugrasena, the father of Kamsa, from the prison and coronated 70 16.39,40%;B vide also Patil D.R., Op.Cit., P.101.

1106 him on the throne (194.9). As regards the punishments of the enemies, the Brahma Purana provides an instance. The Haihayas had defeated king Bahu with the help of Talajanghas, Kambojas, sakas and paradas but Sagara, the son of king Bahu, took a revenge and defeated them all but instead of annihilating them, on the advice of the sage Vasistha, he inflicted punishments on them. Thus he changed their dresses and destroyed their dharma. He ordered the sakas to shave their heads half, the yavanas and kambojas to shave their heads full, the paradas to foosen their hair and the pannavas to shave their beards (8.42-52).