03-10-2005, 02:22 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-pulikeshi+Mar 10 2005, 11:58 AM-->QUOTE(pulikeshi @ Mar 10 2005, 11:58 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--> I wonder if this concept of Dharma Yudha and/or Prakasha Yudha or what I call <b>âBattle till tea timeâ</b> became the choice method of warfare among the Hindus, which reduced the whole art and the syntax of war to a symbolic ballet. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The Ritual part might well be the "Documented" part. For we know that not every strategy was documented - specially in India where we have a very strong tradition of orally passing down teachings, and memorizing highly complex concepts without using a single pen/paper. (Indian orchestra for example do not play from written down notes and definitely do not play to the tunes of a "Conductor".)
My recollection of earliest and dramatic blow-by-blow account of a large war is the Ramayana. The war is highly coherrent, and from Rama's side it has fixed and definite rules of engagement. Ravana's side has covert warfare (specially Indrajit) and sometime psycological warfare too (Indrajit cutting asunder Devi Janaki's lookalike.)
Yet, Sri Rama's army, which had inferior weapons, and the disadvantage of unfamiliar terrain - and which laid siege of Ravana's City emerged victorious - with the help of a fifth-column - Vibheeshana.
If you need to analyze Dharma Yuddha, analyze the Rama-Ravana War. It's an excellent specimen for analysis.
The Ritual part might well be the "Documented" part. For we know that not every strategy was documented - specially in India where we have a very strong tradition of orally passing down teachings, and memorizing highly complex concepts without using a single pen/paper. (Indian orchestra for example do not play from written down notes and definitely do not play to the tunes of a "Conductor".)
My recollection of earliest and dramatic blow-by-blow account of a large war is the Ramayana. The war is highly coherrent, and from Rama's side it has fixed and definite rules of engagement. Ravana's side has covert warfare (specially Indrajit) and sometime psycological warfare too (Indrajit cutting asunder Devi Janaki's lookalike.)
Yet, Sri Rama's army, which had inferior weapons, and the disadvantage of unfamiliar terrain - and which laid siege of Ravana's City emerged victorious - with the help of a fifth-column - Vibheeshana.
If you need to analyze Dharma Yuddha, analyze the Rama-Ravana War. It's an excellent specimen for analysis.