India has never subscribed to the doctrine of militarism and war in her history. Here war was never treated as an ideal. It was only tolerated as unavoidable and inevitable, and all attempts were made to check it and bring it under control. Inspite of the frequency of wars in ancient India, in spite of highly developed military organization, techniques of war and imperialism, and in spite of the open justification of war as national policy, the heart of India loved pacifisms as an ideal capable of realization. India' symbolic role was that of a peacemaker and it sincerely pinned its on the principle of "Live and let live‟. At least philosophically, India' intelligence supported the cause of peace not only in national affairs but in international affairs also. All the great seers of the yore visualized the unity of life, permeating all beings, animate or inanimate, which ruled out ** and suicidal wars.
This doctrine of philosophical pacifisms was practiced by ancient Aryans is, no doubt, a question of controversial nature. Certainly, the great Indian teachers and savants stuck to this doctrine tenaciously and in their personal life they translated it into practice and preached it to masses and even to princes of military classes.
Another culture of those times, the existence of which has been proved by the excavations of Mohanjo-Daro, also enunciated the doctrine of pacificism and friendship to all. Strangely enough, the Indus Valley civilization has revealed no fortification and very few weapons.
Ahimsa or the doctrine of non-**** in thought, speech and action assumed a gigantic importance in the Buddhist and Jain **. By a constant practice of this virtue, man becomes unassailable by even wild beasts, who forgot their ferocity the moment they entered the circumference of his magnetic influence. The monks and nuns of these churches were apostles of peace, who reached every **** and corner of the world and delivered the message of love to war-weary humanity. The greatest votary was the royal monk Ashoka, who in reality was responsible for transforming Ahimsa as an act of personal virtue, to Ahimsa as an act of national virtue.
Many a historian recounting the causes of the downfall of the Mauryas, hold the pacific policy of Ashoka which had eschewed the aggressive militarism of his predecessors, responsible for an early decay of the military strength of the state and its consequent disintegration, leading to the rise of Sungas, Kanvas and Andhras. But, in reality the fault with the weak successors of Ashoka, who could not wield the ** of non-**** with a skill and efficiency which required the strength of a spiritual giant like Ashoka. They ** due to their subjective weakness: Pacifism itself was no cause of their ***.
Besides the foregoing philosophical and religious school of thought, even many political authorities gave their unqualified support to the cause of pacifisms. They recognized the right of rivals to exist, not mainly as enemies, but as collaborators in the building of a civilization operation. Thus, for centuries, in the pre-Mauryan India, scores of small independent republics existed and flourished without coming in clash with each other.
With regard to Kautilya, the much maligned militarist and the so called Machiavelli of India, He thinks that the object of diplomacy is to avoid war.
The Mahabharata observes in the connection, “A wise man should be content with what can be obtained by the expedients of conciliation, gift and dissention.” It denounces the warring world of men by comparing it to a dog-kennel. “First there comes the wagging of tails, then turning of one round to other, then the show of teeth, then the roaring and then comes the commencement of the fights. It is the same with men; there is no difference whatever.” Yajnavalkya adds: „War is the last expedient to be used when all others have **.” Likewise, Sri Krishna who'* Bhagwad-Gita has been styled by some as "a song of the battle‟, should not be considered out and out militarist. When all the three expedients were exhausted, then alone the fourth was resorted to.
All possible avenues of peace such as negotiation, conciliation through conference, meditation and so on, were explored before the war was resorted to. This proves that the heart of ancient India was sound and it longed for peace, although war also was not treated as an anathema, which was to be avoided as far as possible.
(ii) By some, Ashoka was considered as the cause of the downfall of the Mauryas. Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.
