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The propounders of Dharmasastra declared that the king (State) was absolutely necessary to maintain the society in a state of Dharmawhich was essential for the fulfillment of Artha and Kama. Rajadharma, which laid down the Dharma of the king, was paramount.<blockquote>सर्वे धर्माः सोपधर्मास्त्रयाणां राज्ञो धर्मादिति वेदाच्छूणोमि । एवं धर्मान् राजधर्मेषु सर्वान् सर्वावस्थं संप्रलीनान् निबोध ॥ (Maha Shan Parv Ch 63, 24-25)</blockquote><blockquote>''sarve dharmāḥ sopadharmāstrayāṇāṁ rājño dharmāditi vedācchūṇomi । evaṁ dharmān rājadharmeṣu sarvān sarvāvasthaṁ saṁpralīnān nibodha ॥''</blockquote>Meaning : All Dharmas are merged in Rajadharma, and it is therefore the Supreme Dharma.<ref name=":0" />
The propounders of Dharmasastra declared that the king (State) was absolutely necessary to maintain the society in a state of Dharmawhich was essential for the fulfillment of Artha and Kama. Rajadharma, which laid down the Dharma of the king, was paramount.<blockquote>सर्वे धर्माः सोपधर्मास्त्रयाणां राज्ञो धर्मादिति वेदाच्छूणोमि । एवं धर्मान् राजधर्मेषु सर्वान् सर्वावस्थं संप्रलीनान् निबोध ॥ (Maha Shan Parv Ch 63, 24-25)</blockquote><blockquote>''sarve dharmāḥ sopadharmāstrayāṇāṁ rājño dharmāditi vedācchūṇomi । evaṁ dharmān rājadharmeṣu sarvān sarvāvasthaṁ saṁpralīnān nibodha ॥''</blockquote>Meaning : All Dharmas are merged in Rajadharma, and it is therefore the Supreme Dharma.<ref name=":0" />
== Raja, THE MAKER OF THE AGE ==
The paramount importance of kingship and the profound influence a Raja has on the state of society has been pithily expressed in the Mahabharata.<blockquote>कालो वा कारणं राज्ञो राजा वा कालकारणम्। इति ते संशयो माभूद्राजा कालस्य कारणम्।।<ref>Mahabharata, Shanti Parva, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D-12-%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5-069 Adhyaya 69].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''kālo vā kāraṇaṁ rājño rājā vā kālakāraṇam। iti te saṁśayo mābhūdrājā kālasya kāraṇam।।''</blockquote>Meaning: Whether, it is the king who is the maker of the age or the age that makes the king is a question about which there is no room for doubt. The king is undoubtedly the maker of the age.
The above affirmation is an eternal truth. The ruler, under whatever system of polity, is largely responsible for the state of the nation or society and whether people in general are virtuous or not largely depends upon the character and conduct of the ruler and his capacity to enforce Dharma, i.e., the rule of law. It is for this reason that Rajadharma was considered supreme as the protector of the people since Dharma was entirely dependent upon the effective implementation of Rajadharma.
The opening verse in Manu Smriti of the chapter of Raj a Dharma reads thus:-<blockquote>राजधर्मान्प्रवक्ष्यामि यथावृत्तो भवेन्नृपः । संभवश्च यथा तस्य सिद्धिश्च परमा यथा । । ७.१ । ।<ref>Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 7].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''rājadharmānpravakṣyāmi yathāvr̥tto bhavennr̥paḥ । saṁbhavaśca yathā tasya siddhiśca paramā yathā । । 7.1 । ।''</blockquote>Meaning: I will now declare Rajadharma, the law to be observed by kings, how kingship was created, how a king should conduct himself and how he can obtain the highest success.
The Rajadharma laid down in Manu VII and IX and in other Smritis and various works on Rajadharma referred to earlier was the constitutional law in ancient India.
==Introduction==
==Introduction==
<blockquote>"'''''Dharma is that which upholds, nourishes or supports the stability of the society, maintains the social order and secures the general well-being and progress of man-kind'''''</blockquote><blockquote>(Supreme court of India)"</blockquote>The '''smritis''' laid down a code of conduct which should be scrupulously observed by the kings and applied to every kind of political ruler and officers exercising governmental powers. Its directives were invariably followed both in letter and spirit by the royal families.
<blockquote>"'''''Dharma is that which upholds, nourishes or supports the stability of the society, maintains the social order and secures the general well-being and progress of man-kind'''''</blockquote><blockquote>(Supreme court of India)"</blockquote>The '''smritis''' laid down a code of conduct which should be scrupulously observed by the kings and applied to every kind of political ruler and officers exercising governmental powers. Its directives were invariably followed both in letter and spirit by the royal families.