Kutayuddha or kuta-yuddha (Sanskrit: Template:Lang ISO: Template:Transliteration, also spelt Kootayudha) is a Sanskrit word made up of two roots: kuta (Template:Lang) commonly explained as evil genius, crooked, devious, unjust or unrighteousness, and yuddha (Template:Lang) meaning warfare.Template:SfnpTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn While there is no exact English translation, kutayuddha is explained as the opposite of dharma-yuddha (from the concept dharma), which is in turn is explained as ethical, righteous or just war. Take ethics out of war, and you have real warfare, a kutayuddha.Template:SfnpTemplate:Sfn It is also known as Citrayuddha.[1]
The Kurukshetra War is considered a war which was a dharma-yuddha; however the war itself contains practices of both kutayuddha and dharma-yuddha.Template:Sfnp The ancient Indian treatise Arthashastra (3rd century BCE), credited to Kautilya, gives a substantial amount of space to the methods of kutayuddha such as deception.Template:Sfnp In Hindu philosophy dharma-yuddha reigns and is the ultimate winner; however in practice kutayuddha is the necessary standard or way of life and war.Template:Sfnp The contrast of kuta-yuddha and dharma-yuddha is similar to what Machiavelli attempts to explain in The Prince (1532).Template:Sfn The deception mentioned in Tacitus' book about the history of the Roman Empire also has similarities to concepts in Kautilya's kutayuddha.Template:Sfn Kutayuddha has been called a defensive concept as opposed to an offensive one.[1]Template:Sfn A milder version of kutayuddha emerged around 900 CE.Template:Sfn Nitisara, another ancient Indian treatise tried to balance the binaries.Template:Sfn Kutayuddha also finds its way into Panchatantra and Hitopadesha.Template:Sfn Shukra-Niti says that if a ruler is too weak to engage in any sort of battle including an attack from the rear, then ruler must then use guerrilla warfare.Template:Sfn
Kutayuddha is contrasted with Template:Transliteration that can be translated as "illuminated or open warfare", in which the place and time of the battle are announced.[2]Template:SfnpTemplate:Sfn Template:Transliteration is a type of kutayuddha that is a more lethal and amoral in terms of outcome.Template:Sfn Tusnimdandena, using techniques such as deception or poisoning to remove enemy leaders,Template:Sfn extends to tushnim-yuddha (silent warfare).[1] Components of kutayuddha include dvaidhibhava (having a dual policy), dvaidhibhutah (making a pact with the enemy to attack another), having patience when third parties are fighting in a kalaha (life or death struggle), promoting enmity between third parties and attacking a third party which is facing leadership problems.Template:Sfn Some proponents of kutayuddha include attacking non-combatants.Template:Sfn
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Hindu Code of War Ethics and Jihad, Balakrishna, Sandeep. The Dharma Dispatch(6 October 2018). Retrieved 2021-09-21.
- ↑ Understanding Kautilya's Arthashastra. World Affairs: The Journal of International Issues({Template:Year).
- Bibliography
- Strategic Thinking of Kautilya and Sun Zi. China Report({Template:Date).
- — Strategic thinking in Ancient India and China: Kautilya and Sunzi, Deshingkar, Giri. ignca.gov.in. Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
- Hinduism and the Ethics of Warfare in South Asia: From Antiquity to the Present{{#if:Roy|, Roy}. Cambridge University Press(2012). ISBN 978-1-139-57684-0
- World religions and norms of war{{#if:Roy|, Roy}. United Nations University Press(2009). ISBN 978-92-808-1163-6
Further reading
- A Panegyric for the Brahmans. Economic and Political Weekly({Template:Date).