War and Peace in Indian Literature and Culture

The book is a result of the International Seminar "The State and Society at Peace and War in Indian Literature and Art," which took place at the University of Warsaw from September 13 to 15, 2012. It gathered 21 participants, who included scholars not only from collaborating institutions but also from various esteemed universities like Free University of Berlin, Moscow State University, University of Bologna, University of Cambridge, University of Lausanne, University of Marburg, University of Zagreb, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, University of Wrocław, and University of Calicut in India.

The compilation features thirteen essays, mostly from seminar contributors, examining diverse elements of the Indian subcontinent's state and society during war and peace as portrayed in its literary and cultural heritage. Starting with eight essays derived from Sanskrit texts, the discussion progresses in a loosely chronological sequence. This is followed by three essays focusing on South Indian sources, specifically Tamil and Malayalam, also presented in chronological order. The volume concludes with two essays based on Bengali sources.

Given the range of topics covered and the variety of languages and historical periods represented, achieving complete uniformity in editing is neither feasible nor desirable. While maintaining certain guidelines for footnotes, bibliographies, and similar elements, the contributors were allowed significant flexibility in other aspects to preserve the richness and diversity of their scholarly perspectives.