Military Ethics in Ancient India: The Kshatriya Code

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Military Ethics in Ancient India The Kshatriya
Code

• Somik Raha

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MAHAA BHAARAT WAR
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MAHAA BHAARAT WAR
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MAHAA BHAARAT WAR
BROTHERS
DHRITA RAASHTRA
PANDU
KAURUV
PANDUV
COUSINS
100 Brothers
5 Brothers
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KAURUV
PANDUV
COUSINS
100 Brothers
5 Brothers
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PANDUV
Arjuna
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PANDUV
Arjuna
Krishna
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PANDUV
Arjuna
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PANDUV
Arjuna
Son
Abhimanyu
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PANDUV
Arjuna
Son
ABHIMANYU WAS 16 YEARS OLD WHEN HE FOUGHT IN
THE WAR
Abhimanyu
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PANDUV
Arjuna
Son
HE WAS A MIGHTY CAR WARRIOR, LIKE HIS FATHER
Abhimanyu
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KAURUV
ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO PENETRATE ONLY THREE PEOPLE
KNEW IN PANDUV ARMY ARJUNA KRISHNA ABHIMANYU
CHAKRA VYUHA
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KAURUV
ARJUNA BUSY ELSEWHERE ABHIMANYU APPROACHED BY
OTHERS ASKED TO ENTER, OTHERS WOULD BE BESIDE
HIM
CHAKRA VYUHA
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KAURUV
ABHIMANYU ENTERS NO ONE IS ABLE TO KEEPUP HE GETS
TO THE CENTER AND IS TRAPPED
CHAKRA VYUHA
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RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
MIGHTY CAR WARRIOR
MIGHTY CAR WARRIOR
CAR WARRIOR
CAR WARRIOR
FOOT SOLDIER
FOOT SOLDIER
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RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
MIGHTY CAR WARRIOR
MIGHTY CAR WARRIOR
CAR WARRIOR
CAR WARRIOR
FOOT SOLDIER
FOOT SOLDIER
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RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
MIGHTY CAR WARRIOR
MIGHTY CAR WARRIOR
CAR WARRIOR
CAR WARRIOR
WITHDRAW
FOOT SOLDIER
FOOT SOLDIER
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KAURUV
ABHIMANYU
DRONACHARYA
DURYODHANA
KARNA
7 MIGHTY CAR WARRIORS
1 MIGHTY CAR WARRIOR
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KAURUV
ABHIMANYU
DRONACHARYA
DURYODHANA
KARNA
7 MIGHTY CAR WARRIORS
1 MIGHTY CAR WARRIOR
WARRIORS UNABLE TO DEFEAT ABHIMANYU THRU FRONTAL
ATTACK
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KAURUV
ABHIMANYU
DRONACHARYA
DURYODHANA
KARNA
KARNA, ON DRONAs ADVICE,SHOOTS AT ABHIMANYUs
BOW FROM BEHIND WHILE HE IS ENGAGED WITH OTHER
WARRIORS
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KAURUV
ABHIMANYU
DRONACHARYA
DURYODHANA
KARNA
AT THE SAME MOMENT HIS BOW IS BROKEN, OTHER
WARRIORS KILL ABHIMANYUs HORSES AND GUARDS
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ABHIMANYU FINALLY FIGHTS WITH THE WHEEL OF HIS
CHARIOT
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ABHIMANYU FINALLY FIGHTS WITH THE WHEEL OF HIS
CHARIOT
16 YEAR-OLD ABHIMANYU IS KILLED, OUTNUMBERED IN
BATTLE BY SEVEN WARRIORS MORE THAN TWICE HIS AGE
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ABHIMANYU FINALLY FIGHTS WITH THE WHEEL OF HIS
CHARIOT
Another Violation No one may be killed who has
lost his weapons.
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DEATH OF KARNA
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DEATH OF KARNA
KARNA
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DEATH OF KARNA
KARNA
WHEEL HAS SUNK INTO THE GROUND
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DEATH OF KARNA
ARJUNA KRISHNA
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DEATH OF KARNA
KARNA Excuse me for a moment, that is, till I
extricate my wheel, O Arjuna, from the earth.
Thyself staying on thy car and myself standing
weak and languid on the earth, it behoveth thee
not to slay me now. Thou art born in the
Kshatriya order. Thou art the perpetuator of a
high race. Recollecting the teachings of
righteousness, excuse me for a moment.
..Karna Parva, Sec 90
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DEATH OF KARNA
KRISHNA By good luck it is, O Karna, that thou
rememberest virtue! It is generally seen that
they that are mean, when they sink into distress,
rail at Providence but never at their own
misdeeds. . When many mighty car-warriors,
encompassing the boy Abhimanyu in battle, slew
him, whither had this virtue of thine then gone?
If this virtue that thou now invokest was nowhere
on those occasions, what is the use then of
parching thy palate now, by uttering that word?
..Karna Parva, Sec 91
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DEATH OF KARNA
ARJUNA KILLS KARNA WHILE HE WAS TRYING TO LIFT
THE WHEEL
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DEATH OF DRONA
TEACHER OF PANDUVS AND KAURAVS FIGHTING NOW FOR
THE KAURAVS
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DEATH OF DRONA
BROKE THE MORAL CODE BRAHMINS ARE TO BE
NON-VIOLENT BROKE KSHATRIYA CODE BY USING
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AGAINST THOSE WHO
COULD NOT DEFEND
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DEATH OF DRONA
BROKE THE MORAL CODE BROKE KSHATRIYA CODE BY
USING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AGAINST THOSE
WHO COULD NOT DEFEND
DRONA All these men are unacquainted with
weapons. I am, however, well-versed in them. If,
from desire of victory, I slay these men, there
can be no more ignoble act for me to do. That,
however, which is in thy mind, be it good or bad,
I will accomplish, O Kaurava, at thy command. It
will not be otherwise. Putting forth my prowess
in battle and slaying all the Panchalas, I will
doff my armour, O king! I swear this to thee
truly. Drona Vadha Parva, Section CLXXXV
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DEATH OF DRONA
BROKE THE MORAL CODE Proceeds to slay 20,000
Panchala Car Warriors 500 Matsya Warriors 6,000
elephants 10,000 steeds Drona Vadha Parva,
Section CXCII
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DEATH OF DRONA
IMPOSSIBLE TO SLAY HIM ARJUNA WONT SLAY DRONA
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DEATH OF DRONA
IMPOSSIBLE TO SLAY HIM ARJUNA WONT SLAY
DRONA KRISHNA SUGGESTS THAT IF HE WERE TOLD HIS
SON IS DEAD, HE WOULD STOP FIGHTING. IF DRONA
WERE TO CONTINUE FOR EVEN HALF A DAY, THE PANDUVS
WOULD BE WIPED OUT
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DEATH OF DRONA
IMPOSSIBLE TO SLAY HIM ARJUNA WONT SLAY
DRONA KRISHNA SUGGESTS THAT IF HE WERE TOLD HIS
SON IS DEAD, HE WOULD STOP FIGHTING. IF DRONA
WERE TO CONTINUE FOR EVEN HALF A DAY, THE PANDUVS
WOULD BE WIPED OUT BHIMA KILLS AN ELEPHANT WITH
THE SAME NAME AS DRONAS SON, ASHWATTHAMA
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DEATH OF DRONA
BHIMA TELLS DRONA HE HAS KILLED ASHWATTHAMA DRONA
DOES NOT BELIEVE IT ASKS FOR YUDHISHTHIR, KING OF
PANDUVS (HIS ENEMY)
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DEATH OF DRONA
YUDHISHTHIR CONFIRMS IT, BUT SAYS IN A SOFT TONE
THAT IT WAS ASHWATTHAMA THE ELEPHANT WHO
DIED. DRONA DOES NOT HEAR IT.
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DEATH OF DRONA
HIS FIGHTING WEAKENS, AND HE IS REMINDED AGAIN BY
BHIMA. AT THIS POINT, HE GIVES UP HIS WEAPONS,
AND GETS INTO A YOGIC POSTURE, READY FOR HIS
FINAL MOMENT.
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DEATH OF DRONA
A PANDUV WARRIOR BEHEADS HIM, AGAINST THE
ENTREATIES OF ALL MIGHTY CAR WARRIORS ON THE
PANDUV SIDE.
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THE WARRIOR CODE DISCUSSION
ABHIMANYU Killed by 7 warriors Has no weapons at
the end
KARNA Killed by Arjuna when extracting his wheel
DRONA Told that his son has died, gives up
weapons, is killed.