In the previous column, I had argued that the only way India can become a global superpower in every sense of the word is when we embrace ‘dharmic expansionism’ as a geopolitical goal and assert ourselves by reclaiming the geographies and cultural spaces that we have lost in the last 1,200 years. In this column, I want to deliberate more on the need for India to adopt dharmic expansionism and how it would be different from other forms of expansionism through an illustration from an episode from Mahabharata—the timeless resource house of Indian civilisation.
In the ‘Sabha Parva’ of the Mahabharata is described in great detail the Rajasuya Yajna that was undertaken by King Yudhishthira after he established his rule in Indraprastha. It gives a detailed account about how Narada comes to the Pandava court and plants the seed of desire in the mind of Yudhishthira, how the advisors and ministers in the court encourage Yudhishthira to take up this huge task, and finally how Krishna helps Yudhishthira make the final decision by providing the larger geopolitical picture and the urgency for Yudhishtira to undertake Rajasuya Yajna.
The whole account spread over many chapters is a comprehensive handbook on Raja Dharma (duties of a ruler) that posits Rajasuya Yajna—a ritual undertaking for accomplishing geopolitical goals—as a metaphor for dharmic expansionism.
Narada, in his conversation with Yudhishthira, explains to him how King Harishchandra had performed the great Rajasuya Yajna and conquered the entire earth by defeating all the kings. He became the emperor on the earth through the performance of Rajasuya Yajna and later upon death, he attained Indra Sabha, the court of Lord Indra as a result of the dharmic merit generated by Rajasuya Yajna. Through these descriptions, Narada posits Rajasuya Yajna and the undertaking of geopolitical expansion that accompanies the Yajna as a goal which is not only geopolitically sensible, but also ethically worthy for any good and able ruler.
In fact, from Narada’s discourse, it is very clear that such a ritualised undertaking of geopolitical expansionism with careful thought and ethical motives will ultimately result in overall wellbeing of the world and hence, a great and capable ruler is ethically obligated to undertake it. However, Narada also cautions that such an undertaking comes with great risk including violence and destruction, and hence, one must very carefully choose this path by taking all the factors into account.
Though Narada’s advice plants the desire in Yudhishthira’s heart to perform Rajasuya Yajna, being the ethical, wise, and cautious king that he was, he invited Krishna for counsel on the matter. And it was Krishna who provided the immediate impetus in the form of impending threat of King Jarasandha that drove Yudhishthira into action. Jarasandha was an able king who had defeated many powerful kings and had become a de facto emperor. However, cruelty was his fundamental nature, and he brought everyone under his subjugation through great deceit, unlawful violence and destruction. Krishna explains to Yudhishthira that only after vanquishing Jarasandha can he undertake Rajasuya to become a Chakravartin and usher in peace and dharmic order across the world. It was this insight from Krishna coupled with inputs from Bhima and Arjuna that strengthened the conviction of Yudhishthira in the righteousness and the urgent need to act and made him undertake the performance of the great Rajasuya Yajna and the accompanied dharmic expansion.
What are the lessons that we can draw out from this episode?
1. A ruler or a government is obliged to gain power and resources and strengthen its position in the world for the sake of the good of its citizens.
2. Powerful nations will always try to expand their influence and their territories. Conventional notions of ethics which make people shun violence and war will not stop the powerful and mighty like Jarasandha from occupying the world and oppressing people.
3. Only a dharmavijayi like Yudhishthira can stop asuravijayis like Jarasandha and establish a dharmic order that brings peace, security, and balance to the world.
4. Dharmavijayis must adopt dharmic expansionism embodied by Rajasuya Yajna as a geopolitical policy and work towards accomplishing it.
The Mahabharata account provides many insights into how a dharmavijayi can overcome his enemies and establish a dharmic world-order by becoming a Chakravarti or a world superpower. It tells about how after having brought every one under their subjection, kings like Yauvanaswin by the abolition of taxes, Bhagiratha by his kind treatment to his subjects, Kartavirya by the energy of his asceticism, Bharata by his strength and valour, and Maruta by his prosperity became emperors and established just world-order.
In an interesting conversation, Bhima speaks about three things that a dharmavijayi needs to overcome the enemy and become victorious: Naya or policy exemplified by Krishna, Balam or strength exemplified by Bhima, and Jaya or one-minded pursuit of victory as exemplified by Arjuna. The Mahabharata shows how the trio won against a powerful enemy like Jarasandha using a combination of policy, strength, and one-pointed pursuit of victory.
These are very important lessons for India today.
India should take up the mantle and prepare to play a bigger role in the global chessboard as India alone can create a world order based on dharma. If we do not rise to the occasion, it won’t be long before an asuravijayi like China becomes the de facto world leader like Jarasandha and creates great havoc and oppression everywhere. China’s manipulative and disastrous handling of the Covid-19 pandemic or its economic expansionist policies that have placed multiple nations in huge debts are good indicators to the kind of world-order that China seeks to establish.
India needs to develop the triple aspect of policy, strength, and pursuit of victory to become a global superpower and usher in a world-order rooted in dharma. This needs both clarity and capacity in terms foreign policy, economy, military, and soft-power. Without clarity, we would be embroiled in unnecessary ethical dilemmas created by misleading ideological frameworks like Gandhian ahimsa. A clear understanding and a firm conviction in how dharmic expansionism is different from other forms of expansionism and how it is the need of the hour to counter hegemonic nations like China will go a long way in ensuring that our eyes are set on victory and not distracted. With clear vision and mission, we can build strength and put in place proper long-term and short-term policies to establish an India-centric dharmic world order.
Rajasuya Yajna is a geopolitical metaphor for dharmic expansionism. It is a civilisational call upon India to rise up to global challenges just as Yudhishtira rose up to the challenge of Jarasandha. It is time India heeds to this civilisational call.
Nithin Sridhar is an author, speaker, and commentator on religion, politics, and society. He is the chief curator of Advaita Academy. He likes to thank G.V. Shivakumar for his help in locating Mahabharata references. The views expressed are personal.