Book

Political violence in ancient India

Singh, Upinder, author

Overview

Political Violence in Ancient India argues that the idea of a nonviolent India is an artificial twentieth-century construct deeply influenced by Gandhi and Nehru. Ancient Indian history is marked by considerable violence of various kinds, as is the history of other parts of the world. However the issue of violence was debated in India with greater intensity than elsewhere. There was a recognition of the possibility of necessary force veering into violence, and of the strong tension between violence and nonviolence in the political sphere. This book looks at the evolution of the theory and practice of kingship and the attitudes towards political violence between c. 600 BCE and 600 CE by examining a vast array of texts, inscriptions, artistic representations, and numismatic and archaeological material. These include the ideas of Buddhism and Jainism; the emperor Ashoka; the Sanskrit epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata; the political treatise, the Arthashastra; and the poetry of Kalidasa. The book examines how the problem of the relationship between kingship and violence was addressed in general as well with reference to punishment, war and the forest.-- Provided by publisher

• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Subject: Political violence India History. / Violence Moral and ethical aspects India. / Nonviolence Political aspects India History. / Violence in popular culture India History. / India History To 324 B.C. / India History 324 B.C.-1000 A.D. / India Politics and government To 997.
• ISBN: 9780674975279

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Call Number	Copies	Material	Location
DS451.S5698 2017	1	BOOK	AUTOSTORE