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| The Purusharthas follow ''dharma, artha, kama and moksha'' to be the 4 tenets human beings are expected to follow that is moral behaviour, wealth, worldly pleasure, and salvation. The Arthashastra follows Dharmashastra, which signifies duty, universal order, righteousness of the individual towards oneself, society and ancestors. Similarly the state comprising of the society, ministers ruler, priests and people are governed by morality, ethics, conventional and adhyatmik law; another manifestation of dharma. Kautilya himself assumed his dharmic responsibility by wandering in disguise for years only to find the boy 'Chandragupta' in the village grounds among cowherd and friends, to fit the royal line. Kautalya was so impressed with the boy that he purchased him for thousand ''panas i''mmediately and thereon gave him all the ''dikshas'' to fit into the role of a perfect king. It was Kautilya's orientation to Rajadharma that until he made Chandragupta the ruler of Magadha, and made it the most powerful dynasty he had sleepless nights, '''''Artha''''' meaning wealth''', f'''ollows dharm'''a.''' however in Arthashastram it signifies more than wealth. It talks of wealth of nations, territories, and well being of the individual inhabitants doing various occupations. The state plays a major role in appraising and elevating the material status and well being of its people. Therefore Artha is not as simple to mean money, worldly possession or capital. Rather it means the 'scientific economics' of a state stressing on treasury, revenue, expenditures, state taxes, budgets, accounts and productive output of enterprises which in turn enhance the material status of human society and individuals within it. | | The Purusharthas follow ''dharma, artha, kama and moksha'' to be the 4 tenets human beings are expected to follow that is moral behaviour, wealth, worldly pleasure, and salvation. The Arthashastra follows Dharmashastra, which signifies duty, universal order, righteousness of the individual towards oneself, society and ancestors. Similarly the state comprising of the society, ministers ruler, priests and people are governed by morality, ethics, conventional and adhyatmik law; another manifestation of dharma. Kautilya himself assumed his dharmic responsibility by wandering in disguise for years only to find the boy 'Chandragupta' in the village grounds among cowherd and friends, to fit the royal line. Kautalya was so impressed with the boy that he purchased him for thousand ''panas i''mmediately and thereon gave him all the ''dikshas'' to fit into the role of a perfect king. It was Kautilya's orientation to Rajadharma that until he made Chandragupta the ruler of Magadha, and made it the most powerful dynasty he had sleepless nights, '''''Artha''''' meaning wealth''', f'''ollows dharm'''a.''' however in Arthashastram it signifies more than wealth. It talks of wealth of nations, territories, and well being of the individual inhabitants doing various occupations. The state plays a major role in appraising and elevating the material status and well being of its people. Therefore Artha is not as simple to mean money, worldly possession or capital. Rather it means the 'scientific economics' of a state stressing on treasury, revenue, expenditures, state taxes, budgets, accounts and productive output of enterprises which in turn enhance the material status of human society and individuals within it. |
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| + | Dr. Radhakrishnan said that artha takes note of the economic and political life of a person, the craving for power and property. While the pursuit of wealth and happiness is a legitimate human aspiration, they should be gained through righteousness (Dharma), if they are to lead to spiritual freedom of a person (Moksha)<ref>Radhakrishnan, S. (1926). ''Hindu view of life''. George Allen And Unwin Ltd, London.</ref>. |
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| == Contents == | | == Contents == |
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| 21.18 Self Protection | | 21.18 Self Protection |
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− | '''Adhikaram II''' : ''''Adhyakshapracharaha'''' | + | '''Adhikaram II''' : '<nowiki/>'''Adhyakshapracharaha'''' |
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| Book II : <nowiki>''</nowiki>Authorities" | | Book II : <nowiki>''</nowiki>Authorities" |
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| 557.56 The Duty of a City Superintendent | | 557.56 The Duty of a City Superintendent |
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− | '''Adhikaranam III''' : ''''Dharmastheeyam'''' | + | '''Adhikaranam III''' : '<nowiki/>'''Dharmastheeyam'''' |
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| Book III : On Laws | | Book III : On Laws |
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| 77.75 Miscellaneous Offences | | 77.75 Miscellaneous Offences |
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− | '''Adhikaram IV''' ''''Kantakashodhanam'''' | + | '''Adhikaram IV''' '<nowiki/>'''Kantakashodhanam'''' |
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| Book IV : Removal of Thorns | | Book IV : Removal of Thorns |
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| In addition to this there is a strong format of discipline to be followed while engaging ministers, counsellors, priests, secret spies and messengers in the cabinet of the royal house and treatment meted to a prince kept under restraint. The royal duties, self protection actions and control of enemy faction also goes by prescribed rules of discipline. From qualifications of the employed servicemen to their routine of performing duties, all the set of activities are governed by set of rules. | | In addition to this there is a strong format of discipline to be followed while engaging ministers, counsellors, priests, secret spies and messengers in the cabinet of the royal house and treatment meted to a prince kept under restraint. The royal duties, self protection actions and control of enemy faction also goes by prescribed rules of discipline. From qualifications of the employed servicemen to their routine of performing duties, all the set of activities are governed by set of rules. |
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− | '''Adhikaram II''' : ''''Adhyakshapracharaha'''' | + | '''Adhikaram II''' : '<nowiki/>'''Adhyakshapracharaha'''' |
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| The Book II is a treatise on 'Authorities' . There is an elaborate description of almost every authority vested within a state and the modalities of its effective regulation. The village, land area and forts are the ground assets of a state and their division for the purpose of construction of forts, buildings and village settlements in the backdrop of an overall layout of the fortified city have been described through the chapters. The space for a centralized granary under the responsibility of director of stores clearly stating his duties have been further elucidated. Finance is the backbone of the economy. Wealth creation, revenue collection, bullion market and central exchequer have been greatly emphasized as they are the pillars that uplift the economic growth and social status of the state. The duties and responsibilities of the revenue officers in terms of collection, counting, depositing, maintaining perfect financial discipline of records, frequent audits of different types of income and expenditure accounts including coins, gems, jewels, precious stones and recovery of revenue misappropriated by state officers is dealt in the formative chapters of the book. Other crucial authorities forming the backbone of the economy other than finance mentioned in the text are trade and commerce to include mining, bullion, trade, forestry, armory (defence), scales weights standards and measures of time and space, tolls, weaving, agriculture, liquor, prostitutes, ships, cows , horses, elephants, chariots and infantry. The duties and engagements of all the state officers in the hierarchy belonging to each of these avenues like superintendents, supervisors, controllers and directors have been mentioned systematically. Commandments are mentioned even for passports, pastures, secret services, administration, city and army which are executed through individual superintendents handling each domain. This book is complete encyclopedia on departments that existed then and their functional aspects. These constitute the second book ' The Activity of the Heads of Departments" | | The Book II is a treatise on 'Authorities' . There is an elaborate description of almost every authority vested within a state and the modalities of its effective regulation. The village, land area and forts are the ground assets of a state and their division for the purpose of construction of forts, buildings and village settlements in the backdrop of an overall layout of the fortified city have been described through the chapters. The space for a centralized granary under the responsibility of director of stores clearly stating his duties have been further elucidated. Finance is the backbone of the economy. Wealth creation, revenue collection, bullion market and central exchequer have been greatly emphasized as they are the pillars that uplift the economic growth and social status of the state. The duties and responsibilities of the revenue officers in terms of collection, counting, depositing, maintaining perfect financial discipline of records, frequent audits of different types of income and expenditure accounts including coins, gems, jewels, precious stones and recovery of revenue misappropriated by state officers is dealt in the formative chapters of the book. Other crucial authorities forming the backbone of the economy other than finance mentioned in the text are trade and commerce to include mining, bullion, trade, forestry, armory (defence), scales weights standards and measures of time and space, tolls, weaving, agriculture, liquor, prostitutes, ships, cows , horses, elephants, chariots and infantry. The duties and engagements of all the state officers in the hierarchy belonging to each of these avenues like superintendents, supervisors, controllers and directors have been mentioned systematically. Commandments are mentioned even for passports, pastures, secret services, administration, city and army which are executed through individual superintendents handling each domain. This book is complete encyclopedia on departments that existed then and their functional aspects. These constitute the second book ' The Activity of the Heads of Departments" |
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− | '''Adhikaranam III''' : ''''Dharmastheeyam'''' | + | '''Adhikaranam III''' : '<nowiki/>'''Dharmastheeyam'''' |
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| Book III is a treatise 'On Laws' | | Book III is a treatise 'On Laws' |
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| One cannot deny that the over-archaic structure needed to regulate any authority within a state is its legal system. Adhikaranam III is a treatise on the laws that existed in the Mauryan empire with respect to its societal concerns varying over marriage, inheritance, property purchase, sale, destruction and infringements of agreements, debts and deposits, slavery, labour, robbery defamation, assault, gambling, betting and other miscellaneous offences. Indulging in cruel activities, like killing cows and Brahmans inflicting pain and injury or the use of harsh words are punishable crimes as the text say. Legal disputes and resolution mechanisms relating to these matters have been elucidated for peace and harmony to prevail in the society. The forms of punishment are of the nature of monetary fine or physical as the offence may be. The modes of payment of fine with interest rates have been described in various prakaranas. These constitute the third book 'Concerning Judges'. | | One cannot deny that the over-archaic structure needed to regulate any authority within a state is its legal system. Adhikaranam III is a treatise on the laws that existed in the Mauryan empire with respect to its societal concerns varying over marriage, inheritance, property purchase, sale, destruction and infringements of agreements, debts and deposits, slavery, labour, robbery defamation, assault, gambling, betting and other miscellaneous offences. Indulging in cruel activities, like killing cows and Brahmans inflicting pain and injury or the use of harsh words are punishable crimes as the text say. Legal disputes and resolution mechanisms relating to these matters have been elucidated for peace and harmony to prevail in the society. The forms of punishment are of the nature of monetary fine or physical as the offence may be. The modes of payment of fine with interest rates have been described in various prakaranas. These constitute the third book 'Concerning Judges'. |
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− | '''Adhikaram IV:''' ''''Kantakashodhanam'''' | + | '''Adhikaram IV:''' '<nowiki/>'''Kantakashodhanam'''' |
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| Book IV is a treatise on 'Removal of Thorns'. | | Book IV is a treatise on 'Removal of Thorns'. |