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The great stress laid on character and discipline on the part of Rulers applies with equal force to all persons who come to exercise political and administrative power under any system of government, if the people are to be really benefited. They are the internal checks which automatically control the evil propensities of people in power and position and prevent them from swerving from the path of righteousness. And these in-built traits are more effective than all the external constitutional and legal checks and inquiry commissions, though their importance cannot in any way be minimised.  

The great stress laid on character and discipline on the part of Rulers applies with equal force to all persons who come to exercise political and administrative power under any system of government, if the people are to be really benefited. They are the internal checks which automatically control the evil propensities of people in power and position and prevent them from swerving from the path of righteousness. And these in-built traits are more effective than all the external constitutional and legal checks and inquiry commissions, though their importance cannot in any way be minimised.  

Apart from laying down the code of conduct, the Raja was also required to ensure that there was no arbitrariness in state action. In this aspect, Kautilya declared that the welfare of the people was the Raja's chief concern.<blockquote>प्रजासुखे सुखं राज्ञः प्रजानां च हिते हितम् । नात्मप्रियं हितं राज्ञः प्रजानां तु प्रियं हितम् ॥</blockquote><blockquote>''prajāsukhe sukhaṁ rājñaḥ prajānāṁ ca hite hitam । nātmapriyaṁ hitaṁ rājñaḥ prajānāṁ tu priyaṁ hitam ॥''</blockquote>Meaning: In the happiness of the subjects lies the Ruler's happiness, in their welfare his welfare; what pleases himself the Ruler shall not consider good but whatever pleases his subjects the Ruler shall consider good.

Apart from laying down the code of conduct, the Raja was also required to ensure that there was no arbitrariness in state action. In this aspect, Kautilya declared that the welfare of the people was the Raja's chief concern.<blockquote>प्रजासुखे सुखं राज्ञः प्रजानां च हिते हितम् । नात्मप्रियं हितं राज्ञः प्रजानां तु प्रियं हितम् ॥०१.१९.३४॥<ref>Arthashastra, Adhikarana 1, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A5%A7/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AF Adhyaya 19].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''prajāsukhe sukhaṁ rājñaḥ prajānāṁ ca hite hitam । nātmapriyaṁ hitaṁ rājñaḥ prajānāṁ tu priyaṁ hitam ॥01.19.34॥''</blockquote>Meaning: In the happiness of the subjects lies the Ruler's happiness, in their welfare his welfare; what pleases himself the Ruler shall not consider good but whatever pleases his subjects the Ruler shall consider good.

==King Chandrapida and the Cobbler==

==King Chandrapida and the Cobbler==

'''Kamandaka''' called upon the kings to protect people against his favourites and officers.<blockquote>आयुक्तकेभ्यश्चौरेभ्यः परेभ्यो राजवल्लभात् | पृथिवीपतिलोभाच्च प्रजानां पञ्चधा भयम् | पञ्चप्रकारमप्येत पोह्यं नृपतेर्भयम् ||</blockquote><blockquote>''āyuktakebhyaścaurebhyaḥ parebhyo rājavallabhāt | pr̥thivīpatilobhācca prajānāṁ pañcadhā bhayam | pañcaprakāramapyeta pohyaṁ nr̥paterbhayam || (Kamandaka 82-83)''</blockquote>Meaning: The subjects require protection against wicked officers of the king, thieves, enemies of the king, royal favourites (such as the queen, princes etc ), and more than all, against the greed of the king himself. The king should ensure that the people are free from these fears.

Kamandaka called upon the Rulers to protect people against his favourites and officers. Sarga 5, Prakarana 8.<blockquote>आयुक्तकेभ्यश्चौरेभ्यः परेभ्यो राजवल्लभात् | पृथिवीपतिलोभाच्च प्रजानां पञ्चधा भयम् ||81|| पञ्चप्रकारमप्येतदपोह्य नृपतिर्भयम् |<ref>T. Ganapati Sastri (1912), [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281069/page/n113/mode/2up Nitisara of Kamandaka], Trivandrum Sanskrit Series no.14, Trivandrum.</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''āyuktakebhyaścaurebhyaḥ parebhyo rājavallabhāt | pr̥thivīpatilobhācca prajānāṁ pañcadhā bhayam ||81|| pañcaprakāramapyetadapohya nr̥patirbhayam |''</blockquote>Meaning: The subjects require protection against wicked officers of the Raja, thieves, enemies of the Raja, royal favourites (such as the queen, princes etc ), and more than all, against the greed of the Raja himself. The Raja should ensure that the people are free from these fears.

Most of the kings were very conscious of their duties towards their subjects and did provide relief to the aggrieved against actions of their own officers or favourites. There is an illuminating case recorded in '''Rajatarangini''' as to how '''Chandrapida''', the king of Kashmir who reigned between 680-688 A.D. gave protection to a poor 'charmakara' (cobbler) from the intended action of his own officers. The gist of the case is related below.

In this context, an illuminating case recorded in the Rajatarangini describes how Chandrapida, the Raja of Kashmir, gave protection to a poor 'charmakara' (cobbler) from the intended action of his own officers.  

The officers of the king undertook construction of a temple of Lord Tribuvanaswami on a certain site. On a portion of that site there was a hut belonging to a charmakara ( cobbler). He refused to remove his hut in spite of being asked to do so by the king's officers. Thereupon the officers complained to the king about the obstinacy of the charmakara. However, to their surprise, the officers got a rebuff from the king, who censured them for lack of foresight in encroaching upon the site belonging to the charmakara and starting construction without taking his consent. The king ordered thus:<blockquote>नियम्यतां विनिर्माणं यद्वान्यत्र विधीयताम् | परभूम्यपहारेण सुकृतं कः कलङ्कयेत् ||</blockquote><blockquote>ये द्रष्टारः सदसतां ते धर्मविगुणाः क्रियाः | वयमेव विदध्मश्चेत् यातु न्यायेन कोऽध्वना || (Rajatarangini 4.59-60)</blockquote><blockquote>''niyamyatāṁ vinirmāṇaṁ yadvānyatra vidhīyatām | parabhūmyapahāreṇa sukr̥taṁ kaḥ kalaṅkayet ||''</blockquote><blockquote>''ye draṣṭāraḥ sadasatāṁ te dharmaviguṇāḥ kriyāḥ | vayameva vidadhmaścet yātu nyāyena ko'dhvanā ||''</blockquote>Meaning:  

According to the story, the officers of the Raja undertook construction of a temple of Lord Tribuvanaswami on a certain site. On a portion of that site there was a hut belonging to a charmakara (cobbler). He refused to remove his hut in spite of being asked to do so by the Raja's officers. Thereupon the officers complained to the Raja about the stubbornness of the charmakara. However, to their surprise, the officers got a rebuff from the Raja, who censured them for lack of foresight in encroaching upon the site belonging to the charmakara and starting construction without taking his consent. The Raja ordered thus,<blockquote>नियम्यतां विनिर्माणं यद्वान्यत्र विधीयताम् | परभूम्यपहारेण सुकृतं कः कलङ्कयेत् ||4.59||</blockquote><blockquote>ये द्रष्टारः सदसतां ते धर्मविगुणाः क्रियाः | वयमेव विदध्मश्चेत् यातु न्यायेन कोऽध्वना ||4.60||<ref name=":4">Durgaprasada (1892), [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.424373/page/n107/mode/2up The Rajatarangini of Kalhana], Vol. I (Tarangas I to VII), Bombay: Government Central Book Depot.</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''niyamyatāṁ vinirmāṇaṁ yadvānyatra vidhīyatām | parabhūmyapahāreṇa sukr̥taṁ kaḥ kalaṅkayet ||''</blockquote><blockquote>''ye draṣṭāraḥ sadasatāṁ te dharmaviguṇāḥ kriyāḥ | vayameva vidadhmaścet yātu nyāyena ko'dhvanā ||''</blockquote>Meaning:  

Stop construction or build (the temple) somewhere else. Who would tarnish such a pious act by illegally depriving a man of his land?

Stop construction or build (the temple) somewhere else. Who would tarnish such a pious act by illegally depriving a man of his land ?

If we who are the judges of what is right and what is not right, act unlawfully, who then will abide by the law ?

If we who are the judges of what is right and what is not right, act unlawfully, who then will abide by the law ?

Truly, the supremacy of the law (Dharma) prevailed. With the aid of the law, a 'weak' charmakara prevailed over the - 'strong' the officers of the king.

This exemplifies that with the aid of the law, a 'weak' charmakara prevailed over the 'strong' officers of the Raja; that the supremacy of the law (Dharma) prevailed.  

Thereafter, the charmakara got an audience with the king at his own request. He represented before the king thus: "What the palace is to Your Majesty, the hut is to me. I could not bear to see its demolition. You can very well appreciate the plight of a man who is deprived of his dwelling. However, if your majesty were to come to my hut and ask for it, I shall give it up having due regard to the code of good manners.

The story further continues with the charmakara getting an audience with the Raja at his own request where he says, "What the palace is to Your Majesty, the hut is to me. I could not bear to see its demolition. You can very well appreciate the plight of a man who is deprived of his dwelling. However, if your majesty were to come to my hut and ask for it, I shall give it up having due regard to the code of good manners."

The king with all humility went to the charmakara's hut and with his consent purchased the hut by paying a price which was far more than he had expected and to his entire satisfaction. The charmakara then spoke with folded hands thus:<blockquote>राजधर्मानुरोधेन परवत्ता तवोचिता | स्वस्ति तुभ्यं चिरं स्थेया धर्म्या वृत्तान्तपद्धतिः | दर्शयन्नीदृशीः श्रद्धा श्रद्धेया धर्मचारिणाम् || </blockquote><blockquote>''rājadharmānurodhena paravattā tavocitā | svasti tubhyaṁ ciraṁ stheyā dharmyā vr̥ttāntapaddhatiḥ | darśayannīdr̥śīḥ śraddhā śraddheyā dharmacāriṇām ||''</blockquote>Meaning: Yielding to another (however low), adhering to the principles of Rajadharrna, is the appropriate course for a king. I wish you well. May you live long, establishing the supremacy of the law (Dharma). Seeing in you such faith in Dharrna others will also act accordingly.

The Raja also, with all humility, then goes to the charmakara's hut and with his consent purchases the hut by paying a price which was far more than the expectation of the Charmakara. The charmakara being entirely satisfied, said to the Raja with folded hands that,<blockquote>राजधर्मानुरोधेन परवत्ता तवोचिता ||4.75||... स्वस्ति तुभ्यं चिरं स्थेया धर्म्या वृत्तान्तपद्धतीः | दर्शयन्नीदृशीः शुद्धाः श्रद्धेया धर्मचारिणाम् ||4.77||<ref name=":4" /> </blockquote><blockquote>''rājadharmānurodhena paravattā tavocitā ||4.75||... svasti tubhyaṁ ciraṁ stheyā dharmyā vr̥ttāntapaddhatīḥ | darśayannīdr̥śīḥ śuddhāḥ śraddheyā dharmacāriṇām ||4.77||''</blockquote>Meaning: Yielding to another (however low), adhering to the principles of Raja Dharrna, is the appropriate course for a Raja. I wish you well. May you live long, establishing the supremacy of the law (Dharma). Seeing in you such faith in Dharma, others will also act accordingly.

This account in the Rajatarangini is an inspiring example of the Raja upholding the rule of law at his own initiative thereby, granting relief to a poor man against the arbitrary action of his own officers. It establishes that the commendation of a poor subject is more valuable to a Raja than the flattery of selfish individuals.

What an inspiring example for upholding the rule of law by the suo-motu exercise of judicial power by the king and granting relief to a poor man against the arbitrary action of his own officers. How valuable is the commendation of a poor subject to the king compared to the sycophancy of selfish individuals.

Now it has become clear that unless a Dharma-abiding nature is ingrained in the individuals who exercise power of the state, either as ministers or elected representatives or as bureaucrats, the whole social fabric will be torn into pieces. It is only by the internal check in the form of Dharma, which can destroy sinful thoughts in the mind of the individuals who exercise state power and inspire them to serve the people, for which purpose they are elected or appointed.

The various references exemplifies that unless a Dharma-abiding nature is ingrained in the individuals who exercise power of the state, either as ministers or elected representatives or as bureaucrats, the whole social fabric will be torn into pieces. It is only the internal check in the form of Dharma, which can destroy immoral thoughts in the mind of the individuals who exercise state power and inspire them to serve the people, for which purpose they are elected or appointed.

== DHARMA binding on the Rulers and the Ruled ==

== DHARMA binding on the Rulers and the Ruled ==