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Raja Dharma, so clearly laid out, is vast like an ocean. It consists of invaluable and eternal principles worthy of emulation under any system of polity and by all persons exercising political power.<ref name=":0" />

Raja Dharma, so clearly laid out, is vast like an ocean. It consists of invaluable and eternal principles worthy of emulation under any system of polity and by all persons exercising political power.<ref name=":0" />

== THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR RULERS ==

== विधिताचरणम् ॥ Code of Conduct ==

The smrtis laid down a code of conduct to be diligently observed by the Rajas which applies to every kind of rulers and officers exercising governmental powers even today. They are,

The smrtis laid down a code of conduct to be diligently observed by the Rajas which applies to every kind of rulers and officers exercising governmental powers even today. They are are as follows:

===राजगुणाः ॥ Personal qualities to be acquired by the Raja===

===राजगुणाः ॥ Qualities of a Raja===

====The king must subdue his senses:====

The Manusmrti mentions that a Raja must subdue his senses. It says,<blockquote>इन्द्रियाणां जये योगं समातिष्ठेद्दिवानिशम् | जितेन्द्रियो हि शक्नोति वशे स्थापयितुं प्रजाः ||७.४४||<ref name=":3" /></blockquote><blockquote>''indriyāṇāṁ jaye yogaṁ samātiṣṭheddivāniśam | jitendriyo hi śaknoti vaśe sthāpayituṁ prajāḥ ||7.44||''</blockquote>Meaning: Day and night the Raja must strenuously exert himself to conquer his senses for, he alone who has conquered his own senses can keep his subjects in obedience.

<blockquote>इन्द्रियाणां जये योगं समातिष्ठेद्दिवानिशम् | जितेन्द्रियो हि शक्नोति वशे स्थापयितुं प्रजाः ||७.४४||<ref name=":3" /></blockquote><blockquote>''indriyāṇāṁ jaye yogaṁ samātiṣṭheddivāniśam | jitendriyo hi śaknoti vaśe sthāpayituṁ prajāḥ ||7.44||''</blockquote>Meaning: Day and night the Raja must strenuously exert himself to conquer his senses for, he alone who has conquered his own senses can keep his subjects in obedience.

====निषिद्धाचरणम् ॥ The Raja must shun the following vices:====

Elaborating on the need to uphold good qualities, the Katyayani Smrti mentions that a Raja must guard himself against going astray. It says,<blockquote>वश्येन्द्रियं जितात्मानं धृतदण्डं विकारिषु । परीक्ष्यकारिणं धीरं अत्यन्तं श्रीर्निषेवते ।। ००३ ।।<ref>Katyayana Smrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83#%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%83 Raja Gunas].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>शौर्यविद्यार्थबाहुल्यात्प्रभुत्वाच्च विशेषतः । सदा चित्तं नरेन्द्राणां मोहं आयाति कारणात् ।। ००४ ।।</blockquote><blockquote>तस्माच्चित्तं प्रबोद्धव्यं राजधर्मे सदा द्विजैः । पवित्रं परमं पुण्यं स्मृतिवाक्यं न लङ्घयेत् ।। ००५ ।।</blockquote><blockquote>आत्मीये संस्थिता धर्मे नृपाः शक्रत्वं आप्नुयुः । अवीचिवासिनो ये तु व्यपेताचारिणः सदा ।। ००९ ।।<ref>Katyayana Smrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83#%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%83 Raja Dharma].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''vaśyendriyaṁ jitātmānaṁ dhr̥tadaṇḍaṁ vikāriṣu । parīkṣyakāriṇaṁ dhīraṁ atyantaṁ śrīrniṣevate ।। 003 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''śauryavidyārthabāhulyātprabhutvācca viśeṣataḥ । sadā cittaṁ narendrāṇāṁ mohaṁ āyāti kāraṇāt ।। 004 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmāccittaṁ praboddhavyaṁ rājadharme sadā dvijaiḥ । pavitraṁ paramaṁ puṇyaṁ smr̥tivākyaṁ na laṅghayet ।। 005 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''ātmīye saṁsthitā dharme nr̥pāḥ śakratvaṁ āpnuyuḥ । avīcivāsino ye tu vyapetācāriṇaḥ sadā ।। 009 ।।''</blockquote>Meaning:

<blockquote>दश कामसमुत्थानि तथाऽष्टौ क्रोधजानि च | व्यसनानि दुरन्तानि प्रयत्नेन विवर्जयेत् ||७.४५|| </blockquote><blockquote>कामजेषु प्रसक्तो हि व्यसनेषु महीपतिः | वियुज्यतेऽर्थ धर्माभ्यां क्रोधजेष्वात्मनैव तु ||७.४६||</blockquote><blockquote>मृगयाक्षो दिवास्वप्नः परिवादः स्त्रियो मदः । तौर्यत्रिकं वृथाट्या च कामजो दशको गणः ||७.४७||</blockquote><blockquote>पैशुन्यं साहसं द्रोहः ईर्ष्यासूयार्थदूषणम् | वाग्दण्डजं च पारुष्यं क्रोधजोऽपि गुणोऽष्टकः ||७.४८||<ref name=":3" /></blockquote><blockquote>''daśa kāmasamutthāni tathā'ṣṭau krodhajāni ca | vyasanāni durantāni prayatnena vivarjayet ||7.45||''</blockquote><blockquote>''kāmajeṣu prasakto hi vyasaneṣu mahīpatiḥ | viyujyate'rtha dharmābhyāṁ krodhajeṣvātmanaiva tu ||7.46||''</blockquote><blockquote>''mr̥gayākṣo divāsvapnaḥ parivādaḥ striyo madaḥ । tauryatrikaṁ vr̥thāṭyā ca kāmajo daśako gaṇaḥ ||7.47||''</blockquote><blockquote>''paiśunyaṁ sāhasaṁ drohaḥ īrṣyāsūyārthadūṣaṇam | vāgdaṇḍajaṁ ca pāruṣyaṁ krodhajo'pi guṇo'ṣṭakaḥ ||7.48||''</blockquote>Meaning:  

* By reason of their being endowed with an abundance of valour, learning and wealth, and particularly on account of the supreme power (they wield), the minds of Rajas always tend to go astray (even) for the slightest reason (or impulse).

Infact, Manusmrti declares that death is preferable to leading a vicious life. It says,<blockquote>अदेश्यं यश्च दिशति निर्दिश्यापह्नुते च यः । यश्चाधरोत्तरानर्थान्विगीतान्नावबुध्यते ||८.५३||<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%85%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F%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 8].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''adeśyaṁ yaśca diśati nirdiśyāpahnute ca yaḥ । yaścādharottarānarthānvigītānnāvabudhyate ||8.53||''</blockquote>Meaning: In a comparison between vice and death, vice is declared to be more harmful because a vicious man sinks to the nethermost region while he who dies free from vice goes to svarga.

 

The Manusmrti also enlists the vices that must be avoided, especially by a Raja. It says,<blockquote>दश कामसमुत्थानि तथाऽष्टौ क्रोधजानि च | व्यसनानि दुरन्तानि प्रयत्नेन विवर्जयेत् ||७.४५|| </blockquote><blockquote>कामजेषु प्रसक्तो हि व्यसनेषु महीपतिः | वियुज्यतेऽर्थ धर्माभ्यां क्रोधजेष्वात्मनैव तु ||७.४६||</blockquote><blockquote>मृगयाक्षो दिवास्वप्नः परिवादः स्त्रियो मदः । तौर्यत्रिकं वृथाट्या च कामजो दशको गणः ||७.४७||</blockquote><blockquote>पैशुन्यं साहसं द्रोहः ईर्ष्यासूयार्थदूषणम् | वाग्दण्डजं च पारुष्यं क्रोधजोऽपि गुणोऽष्टकः ||७.४८||<ref name=":3" /></blockquote><blockquote>''daśa kāmasamutthāni tathā'ṣṭau krodhajāni ca | vyasanāni durantāni prayatnena vivarjayet ||7.45||''</blockquote><blockquote>''kāmajeṣu prasakto hi vyasaneṣu mahīpatiḥ | viyujyate'rtha dharmābhyāṁ krodhajeṣvātmanaiva tu ||7.46||''</blockquote><blockquote>''mr̥gayākṣo divāsvapnaḥ parivādaḥ striyo madaḥ । tauryatrikaṁ vr̥thāṭyā ca kāmajo daśako gaṇaḥ ||7.47||''</blockquote><blockquote>''paiśunyaṁ sāhasaṁ drohaḥ īrṣyāsūyārthadūṣaṇam | vāgdaṇḍajaṁ ca pāruṣyaṁ krodhajo'pi guṇo'ṣṭakaḥ ||7.48||''</blockquote>Meaning:  

# Let him shun the ten vices springing from love of pleasure and the eight proceeding from wrath, which end in misery.

# Let him shun the ten vices springing from love of pleasure and the eight proceeding from wrath, which end in misery.

# The Raja who is attached to vices springing from love of pleasure loses his virtue and wealth, and he who is given to vices arising from anger loses even his life.

# The Raja who is attached to vices springing from love of pleasure loses his virtue and wealth, and he who is given to vices arising from anger loses even his life.

# The four vices - drinking liquor, gambling, lust and hunting arising out of love of pleasure are the most detrimental in the same order.

# The four vices - drinking liquor, gambling, lust and hunting arising out of love of pleasure are the most detrimental in the same order.

# Gossip, violence, treachery, envy, defamation, unjust seizure of property, reviling and assault are the set of eightfold vices flowing from wrath; out of these, doing bodily injury, reviling and seizure of property are the most destructive.

# Gossip, violence, treachery, envy, defamation, unjust seizure of property, reviling and assault are the set of eightfold vices flowing from wrath; out of these, doing bodily injury, reviling and seizure of property are the most destructive.

== Introduction ==

== Introduction ==