Essay name: Samrajya Lakshmi Pithika (Study)
Author:
Artatrana Sarangi
Affiliation: Savitribai Phule Pune University / Department of Sanskrit and Prakrit Languages
This is a study in English of the Samrajya Lakshmi Pithika (written by Lolla Lakshmidhara) representing an encyclopedic manual for emperors. The Samrajyalaksmipithika encompasses about 3870 verses in addressing topics such as public festivals, governance, warfare (military strategy), and rituals associated with the Tantric worship for the deity Samrajya-Lakshmi.
Chapter 5 - Forts, Castrametation and the Royal Army
56 (of 135)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
551
Importance : SLP, while describing the importance of foot-
soldiers harps on this point in quite unmistakable terms.
The author says that 'among the four-fold army the first
three, namely, Chariots, elephants and horses, remain under
51 the fourth category - the foot-soldiers. Therefore,
possibly, the author dilates at length on the qualities of
a soldier. Much depends on from which family a soldier
comes.
Selection and recruitment : At the time of recruitment it
was possibly the custom to appoint persons from martial
52 families which have produced soldiers of repute for
generations - father, uncles, grand-fathers etc. besides his
own personal qualities like good conduct, resoluteness of
purpose (drdha-vrata) and truthfulness, courage and
experience at war. (134.4-5).
Personal qualities of a warrior (bhata) : SLP describes
a soldier as one, whose limbs are replete with scars of
injuries, caused by sharp points of enemy's swords, who in the
51.
52.
'trividham ra thanagasvanamaka峁� balamasti vat /
taddhi turvabaladhinamiti nirnitamadride' //
(134.24-25)
Also Cp. SN (4.7.23) which prescribes an overdose
of foot-soldiers in any army.
Perhaps here is referred to the Maula variety of
Kautilya and others. Cf. AS (9.2.1)
