Changes

* The administrative divisions  

* The administrative divisions  

* The powers and duties of the Raja.

* The powers and duties of the Raja.

The propounders of Dharma Shastra declared that the Raja (State) was absolutely necessary to maintain the society in a state of Dharma which was essential for the fulfillment of Artha and Kama. Raja Dharma, which laid down the Dharma of the Raja, 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 Dharma Shastra declared that the Raja (State) was absolutely necessary to maintain the society in a state of Dharma which was essential for the fulfillment of Artha and Kama. Thus, Raja Dharma, which laid down the Dharma of the Raja, was paramount. Mahabharata (Shanti Parva) reinforces this. It says that 'all Dharmas are merged in Raja Dharma, and it is therefore the Supreme Dharma.'<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>सर्वे धर्माः सोपधर्मास्त्रयाणां राज्ञो धर्मादिति वेदाच्छृणोमि ॥24॥... एवं धर्मान् राजधर्मेषु सर्वान् सर्वावस्थान् सम्प्रलीनान् निबोध ।<ref>Pandit Ramnarayanadatta Shastri Pandey, Mahabharata (Khanda 5-Shantiparva), Gorakhpur: Gita Press.</ref> (Maha. Shan Parv. 63.24-25)</blockquote><blockquote>''sarve dharmāḥ sopadharmāstrayāṇāṁ rājño dharmāditi vedācchr̥ṇomi ॥24॥... evaṁ dharmān rājadharmeṣu sarvān sarvāvasthān sampralīnān nibodha । (Maha. Shan Parv. 63.24-25)''</blockquote>

 

== Raja, THE MAKER OF THE AGE ==

== 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 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.