Indian Art of War

There is not one single Indian work that may be called the book of the ‘Art of War’. The details about state craft, the rules of governance, the art of diplomacy and the codes and maxims to wage wars lie scattered in many ancient texts. The ruling classes and those aspiring to or designated to rule and the noblemen (usually all belonging to the Kshatriya class who would be generals and commanders) were meant to be educated from childhood, trained from a young age in Śastras and martial arts and to be thoroughly acquainted with the relevant subjects. The military writers of ancient India such as Śukrāchārya, Kautilya, and Kāmandaka have each laid down, in their time, the doctrines, instructions and codes of behaviour and conduct for kings, rules of governance, the constitution of an army, organizing marches and encampment, heraldry and battle arrays, the use of logistics in siege and even sharing and distribution of the spoils from conquered territories. These three texts are part of our ancient knowledge literature which were discussed briefly in Chapter 2. The specific food per se for the men engaged in war (actual description of foods, quantity, meal portions) was not a subject which apparently engaged any of the authors. It would probably be more correct to say that arrangements for food in general were thought of and planned for.