Ready to Attack

(This series unravels the dharmic dialogue between Narad Muni and Raja Yudhishthir in the Sabha Parv of the Mahabharat. Part XXIII saw how a good leader must be objective and impartial in their decisions; Part XXIV follows.).When we see the line of questioning and gentle advice that Narada Muni gives to Raja Yudhishthir, it becomes evident that Narada is not just a sage, a mendicant who creates confusion, and cheekily chants ‘Narayana, Narayana!’ He comes across as a raja-rishi, someone who is capable of administering kingdoms and strategising for politics and warfare. That is a sure sign of pragmatism in a person. They are not fatalists. They don’t leave things to the Powers that Be. All signs of a good leader point towards dynamism and action, not passive surrender. It is with the same spirit that we should look at the next set of questions that Narad asks the king. ‘O best of the Bharata race, do you reflect well upon the three kinds of forces that, (at once) march against your enemy when you hear that he is in distress?’ It almost sounds like Naraa is goading the Pandav king to wage war immediately. But that is not so.The three kinds of forces that Narada refers to here are the support of his counsel, the resource availability of the kingdom and the willingness of the armed forces to fight. Let us consider each of these reasons more deeply. The counsel that the Pandav king has is bound to have experts on various subjects. There would be military strategists, just as there would be a minister to handle finances, someone who can weigh in on natural resources, another on arts and so on. Over and above this, Yudhishthira’s counsel would also include seers and elders of his clan, his brothers and his mother. It is impossible that such counsel would guide him on the wrong path. Even if one voice tells him not to wage a war, there is enough reason for the king to ponder the need to attack. For the next, it is imperative for the administrator to know the wealth and resource availability of his kingdom before he goes to war. War is as much of an economic question as it is a question of security. Going to war immediately depletes the nation’s resources; feeding an army and funding the missiles can rapidly bankrupt a nation. There are larger questions to be asked, depending on the size and level of preparedness of the opposition, too. How long will the war last? Will it yield something worthy in return? Can the army outmatch the opponent’s forces and so on. If a kingdom is prepared with ammunition and enough resources to feed and fuel an army, only then does a war make sense. What’s the point of a victory if the nation’s wealth is ravaged at the end of it?.For the last consideration, the king has to weigh in if the forces are motivated enough to fight a battle for him. Here, Yudhishthir might have his own motives to wage a war, but if his forces do not believe in his cause, if his commander-in-chief is not enthused enough to lead the forces, then they will retreat at the first instance. The enthusiasm and daring of the soldiers matter the most while waging a war.Further, as Narada points out, the action taken by the king must be at once and without remorse. There is no point in waiting out a decision. There is no guilt in attacking an enemy while he is in distress. Sri Krishn was willing to attack Karrn when Karrn fell. Enough and more opportunities were given to Karrn to reform and retreat, but Karrn chose to stay on the evil side. When an opponent has made their choices, there is no more compassion for their abilities. We must also remember that Narad has already advised that even when such a war is waged, the king must be able to provide refuge for the children, the elderly and the women of the enemy’s kingdom. So here, distress is clearly not a social condition. It is merely a low moment for the enemy.If we compare these questions and even place them against recent wars we have seen in the world, it is easy to see where countries have made the right choice and where it has resulted in a loss for them. The prior and aftermath of a war are just as important as the period of war itself. In fact, one could argue that the before of a war is more important. With the right questions and enough reflection, it is possible for any leader to gauge if they are ready to attack.

Ready to Attack

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