Page:War in ancient India.djvu/17

 CHAPTER I

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF WAR

INTRODUCTORY

THE history of ancient India is largely a history of Hindu culture and progress Hindu culture has a distinct claim to a higher antiquity than Assyrian schools would claim for Sargon I and as much or even a higher antiquity than Egyptian scholars would claim for the commencement of the first dynasty of Kings One aspect of this culture consists in India's political institutions which were almost modern Among these we are concerned in this study only with the institutions of war Modern warfare has developed on mechanical lines, giving less scope for the qualities of courage and individual leadership, and we doubtless see further accentuation of these traits in the present World War

AMONG THE TRIBES

War is a political institution and a necessary evil To-day we speak of a new world order and iealise that the call to humanise has a precedence even over defence In spite of this new view which implies the cultivation of international-mindedness, every countıy is now either at war or on a footing of war-preparedness This means we are unable to shake off bellicosity completely D -1