Lessons on Strategic Thought and Military Manoeuvres from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Arthashastra

Abstract

According to a saying, ‘All roads lead to Rome’. The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata on similar lines appear to be the first indigenous texts that show up when looking for literature that is widely cited as a source of knowledge about statecraft, governance, and military manoeuvres. Verses from the different parts of Mahabharata are quoted in Kautilya’s Arthashastra, and therefore also highlight the Mahabharata's influence and importance. The distinctive qualities of the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Arthashastra are that they tell true tales of characters resolving conflicts with a range of morality and realism-based decisionmaking techniques. The research paper tries to offer insightful lessons from the two ancient epics and one treatise on statecraft in the world—the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Arthashastra about Indian strategic thinking and goal setting.