भारतीय इतिहास के ६ स्वर्णिम पृष्ठ (वीर सावरकर - विदेशी आक्रान्ताओं पर विजय गाथा)

precipitate haste, he crossed the river and with his fine cavalry, dashed
against the forces of King Porus. This disturbed the whole plan of Porus.
Still, he fought on a fierce battle. But the rains had turned the field muddy,
rendering utterly useless Porus’s two great instruments of war, namely
chariots and elephants. He could not, therefore, successfully check the brisk
and energetic attacks of Alexander’s horsemen. In the thick of the battle,
Porus seated on his elephant and desperately fighting was grievously
wounded and fell into the hands of the enemy. Thus, partly because of
Porus’s misfortune and partly because of Alexander’s military skill on the
battlefield, the Greeks were crowned with success.
Victory—Shrewd Political Strategy
25. When Porus was taken as a captive before Alexander, the latter asked
the Indian King, ‘How should I treat you?’ Porus promptly replied, ‘Like a
King’. This apt reply evoked the comment of European as well as our own
historians, that impressed by this bold reply, Alexander returned to Porus
his territory making him a governor under him, instead of putting him to
death. But this interpretation of Alexander’s treatment of Porus is wrong,
and therefore, such platitudes should be avoided in school textbooks.
26. Obviously, Alexander was not like the artless simple Indian King,
Harishchandra, who gave away his kingdom in his wakeful hours in order
to fulfil a promise made in a dream. He knew if he killed Porus or liquidated
his kingdom, placing in his place some Greek Satrap, the high-minded
people of the state would be aflame with rage and hatred towards the
Greeks. Now Alexander wanted to fight his way all along to the chief
Capital of India, namely Pataliputra! Could he ever do so with the sole
support of his own Greek army? On the other hand, it was far more
profitable to win over Porus with apparent magnanimity and kindness, as he
had done to King Ambhi of Taxila (Takshashila) and enlist his active
support in order to facilitate the accomplishment of his daring plan of the
conquest of India. It is, therefore, not for the sake of appreciating the bold
rejoinder of Porus but as a clever political strategy, that the arch diplomat
Alexander returned to Porus his Kingdom. He even annexed the smaller
neighbouring states, which he had conquered immediately before or after
his clash with Porus to the latter’s Kingdom. He had appointed him his
satrap (governor) of this vast Indian Province. Porus too gave his assent to
Alexander’s proposals simply to wait for his time, for fortune had played
foul with him. Porus had done his duty, as a Kshatriya warrior would do of