Arthashastra Of Kautilya Free To Question

He remarks, A King who administers justice in accordance with dharma, evidence, customs, and written law will be able to conquer whole world.

The discussions regarding politics are found in smritis and puranas by the name dandaniti.

It is perhaps Kautilyas Arthashastra which stands out to be thoroughly scientific and most authoritative interpretations of these ancient studies.

Written in around 4th century BC by the Prime Minister of The Great Mauryan Empire Kautilya, also known as Chanakya or Vishnugupta, Arthashastra is one of the most influential and comprehensive treatises in Political Science in the Indian Vedic Civilization.

Regarded as quintessence of ancient Vedic wisdom in politics and economics, Arthashastra holds remarkable relevance in todays times with some curious resonance with the thoughts and theories of various philosophers, economists and political scientists around the world.

He participated in various social and political revolutions of his Age and abstracted from his study of conflicts some general principles capable of universal application and effective in all times and ages.

With more and more studies in the field of politics and economics and with a modern outlook and understanding of world affairs, the relevance and appreciation of Kautilyas arthashastra is incontrovertible.

Artha however is bit wider and an all-embracing term with variety of meanings.

In Arthashastra itself it is being used in various contexts, points out L N Rangarajan in his translation of Kautilya Arthashastra.

It is used in the sense of material well-being, in livelihood, economically productive activity trade etc.

This is bit similar with wealth which is defined in Wealth of Nations.

In rather simple way, arthashastra can be defined as science and art of politics and diplomacy.

This treatise is divided into sixteen books dealing with virtually every topic concerned with the running of a state taxation, law, diplomacy, military strategy, economics, bureaucracy etc.

The book is a masterpiece which covers a wide range of topics like statecraft, politics, strategy, selection and training of employees, leadership skills, legal systems, accounting systems, taxation, fiscal policies, civil rules, internal and foreign trade etc.

Arthashastra advocates rational ethic to the conduct of the affairs of the state.

The emphasis is on codification of law and uniformity of law throughout the empire.

In this essay we shall try to explore Kautilyas views on legal systems, justice and kings role in maintaining law and order as discussed in Arthashastra by Kautilya himself.

He defines order broadly to include both social as well as order in the sense of preventing and punishing criminal activity.

Arthashastra thus contains both the civil law and criminal law.

He appealed in the name of dharma to the sense of honour and duty and to human dignity, to moral responsibility and to enlightened patriotism.

Its quite intelligible that the judge in the arthashastra was called dharmashta or upholder of dharma.

He maintained that so long every Arya follows his svadharma having due regard to his varna and ashrama and the king follows his rajdharma, social order will be maintained.

Arthashastra Of Kautilya Free To Question

Thus if any actions of the King went against the prevailing notion of dharma, associations andor the individual citizens were free to question him.

He recalls every time that dharma alone is guiding star for every king, or rather every individual and that following dharma one shall have a life of dignity while social order prevailing in society.