I was hoping to learn more information about Hindu mythology to couple it with what little I know of Hinduism. That includes the warfare within the scriptures and the vimanas. Nonetheless, I will make use of the information within this text as a way to provide the basics. I didn’t read through the whole text since Hinduism has only substantial influence on Yimulos military style, as opposed to the main influence where I would read through the whole text.
If it became the main influence, then there would be more of a presence of the vimanas. In this case, the military of Smoyemp’s Spoils would use vimanas rarely. Since the core of Yimulos would be salvaging, the pelagic depths of the ocean, and the environment, I would need the vimanas to truly reflect those core themes. In which case, I can clearly envision the creation of sea-vimanas perpetuated by the sea-fae of the world known as the Sea-Traveled. They would build the vimanas from the limestone they would either find or trade with the Land-Traveled–otherwise known as “humans” to us of Earth. Of course, most sea-vimanas of Yimulos would derive from the Land-Traveled.
Of course, the book that I read focused mainly on the precepts of Hinduism rather than the myths themselves. As such, since Hinduism has substantial influence, then I would have to consider the precepts more than the mythologies themselves. As far as the engines, garbs, and weapons of Hinduism, I would need to teleologically take into account the Indian subcontinent as a whole where it originated, from India to the ancestral home between the Dnieper river and the Ural mountains.
Warfare
When it comes to violence, Hinduism makes abundantly clear that it is not justified. The idea is everyone is manifested in Brahma and to hurt someone is to hurt oneself. As such, I can see how this might play a role in how Silk Sabretooths–later Silkbolts–deal with the issue of just war or when violence might be needed. I can see how they live by the precept that “To hurt someone is to hurt oneself is to hurt the Woodwinds.” Of course, the Masug do not believe have the idea that everyone is manifested within the Woodwinds–quite the opposite. They believe that the Woodwinds are beyond human comprehension and are completely detached from the human experience.
They do worship a Woodwind of war named Flamebreath. As such, they might have a precept like “To smother someone is to smother oneself is to smother Flamebreath.” In other words, any unjustified act of violence against someone means that you as a Silkbolt are losing your status as a worshiper of Flamebreath and degrading Flamebreath Themselves.
Lawlisteners
Of course, this comes down to the idea of when is violence justified? Early Silk Sabretooths had no qualms about fighting whomever they were ordered to fight–even their fellow Silk Sabretooths as detailed in my short story collection encompassing the Qujetoima and Ailoba Years. Before they would need to carry out orders given even by the Smoke-Towered himself, they would need to consult with a “lawlistener” among them. This is rooted in the Hinduism concept of a guru, who have law books that dictate morality. As such, the lawlisteners would need to have their standardized law books–which differs depending on worship of Flamebreath.
What they can agree on are the precepts of nonviolence, self-control, and avoiding desire and unneeded gifts. The Silkbolts would need to follow these laws in order to be in accordance with the worship of Flamebreath. Of course, how would the lawlisteners justify warfare? This is the part where I have to expand beyond the Hinduism influence since it is not the main influence. Before I can expand upon the research into the Wood Age, I would need to establish that the main precepts that the Silkbolts determine either their war conduct or their nonviolence exceptions would be: food, trade, and protection. In other words, food would be the main reason why they would go to war since it would ensure that their protected subjects are fed; and the lawlisteners would provide exceptions if the subjects are facing famine.
When is the most appropriate time to send in the military would definitely be where the lawlisteners would differ. Do they launch the ships when people start dying from famine? Or do they send them out when they are first attacked? I don’t know if Hinduism deals with these ethical dilemmas, which I’m sure they do, but I can clearly see how this would divide the lawlisteners.
Source
- Swami Bhaskarananda. “The Essentials of Hinduism: A Comprehensive Overview of the World’s Oldest Religion.” 2nd Edition. Viveka Press. 2002.