ARTHA SASTRA = AN ANCIENT INDIAN TREATISE ON STATECRAFT

Blogchatter is organizing a month long campaign  #BlogchatterA2Z2023 in which I will be presenting a blogpost for twenty six days with a Specific branch of knowledge related with the language SANSKRIT.

 Artha Sastra = An Ancient Indian Treatise on Statecraft

अर्थशास्त्रम् = Artha Sastra is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy written in Sanskrit.  This work of Kautilya also known as Vishnu Gupta alias Canakya who was a scholar at Taksh-sila, the teacher and guardian of Emperor Candra Gupta Maurya.

The title “Artha Sastra” is often translated to “The science of Politics,” but the book Artha Sastra has a broader scope.  It includes books on the nature of government, law, civil and criminal court systems, ethics, economics, markets and trade, the methods for screening ministers, diplomacy, theories on war, nature of peace, and the duties and obligations of a king.  The text incorporates Hindu philosophy, includes ancient economic and cultural details on agriculture, mineralogy, mining and metals, animal husbandry, medicine, forests and wildlife.

The Artha Sastra explores issues of social welfare, the collective ethics that hold a society together, advising the king that in times and in areas devastated by famine, epidemic and such acts of nature, or by war, he should initiate public projects such as creating irrigation waterways and building forts around major strategic holdings and towns and exempt taxes on those affected.  The text was influential on other Hindu texts that followed, such as the sections on king, governance, and legal procedures included in Manu-Smriti.

Arthashastra is divided into 15 book titles, 150 chapters and 180 topics, as follows:

1.   On the Subject of Training, 21 chapters, Topics 1-18

2.   On the Activities of Superintendents, 36 chapters, Topics 19-56 (largest book)

3.   On Justices, 20 chapters, Topics 57-75

4.   Eradication of Thorns, 13 chapters, Topics 76-88

5.   On Secret Conduct, 6 chapters, Topics 89-95

6.   Basis of the Circle, 2 chapters, Topics 96-97

7.   On the Sixfold Strategy, 18 chapters, Topics 98-126

8.   On the Subject of Calamities, 5 chapters, Topics 127-134

9.   Activity of a King preparing to March into Battle, 7 chapters, Topics 135-146

10.  On War, 6 chapters, Topics 147-159

11.  Conduct toward Confederacies, 1 chapter, Topics 160-161

12.  On the Weaker King, 5 chapters, Topics 162-170

13.  Means of Capturing a Fort, 5 chapters, Topics 171-176

14.  On Esoteric Practices, 4 chapters, Topics 177-179

15. Organization of a Scientific Treatise, 1 chapter, Topic 180

 

सुखस्य मूलं धर्मः । धर्मस्य मूलं अर्थः । अर्थस्य मूलं राज्यं । राज्यस्य मूलं इन्द्रिय जयः । इन्द्रियाजयस्य मूलं विनयः । विनयस्य मूलं वृद्धोपसेवा॥

The root of happiness is Dharma (ethics, righteousness), the root of Dharma is Artha (economy, polity), the root of Artha is right governance, the root of right governance is victorious inner-restraint, the root of victorious inner-restraint is humility, the root of humility is serving the aged. - Kautilya, Chanakya Sutra 1-6

Crime and punishment

It is power and power alone which, only when exercised by the king with impartiality and in proportion to guilt either over his son or his enemy, maintains both this world and the next.
The just and victorious king administers justice in accordance with 

Dharma (established law), Sanstha (customary law), Nyaya (edicts, announced law) and Vyavahara (evidence, conduct). Arthashastra 3.1

 

Femme Fatale as a secret agent

To undermine a ruling oligarchy, make chiefs of the [enemy's] ruling council infatuated with women possessed of great beauty and youth. When passion is roused in them, they should start quarrels by creating belief (about their love) in one and by going to another.  Arthashastra 11.1

Behaviour of a Weak King

One should neither submit spinelessly nor sacrifice oneself in fool-hardy valour. It is better to adopt such policies as would enable one to survive and live to fight another day. Arthashastra 7.15.13-20, 12.1.1-9

Tax collection and ripe fruits

As one plucks one ripe fruit after another from a garden, so should the king from his kingdom. Out of fear for his own destruction, he should avoid unripe ones, which give rise to revolts. -Stocking the Treasury, Arthashastra 5.2.70

Arthashastra and state

We should never forget that the Arthashastra means by the "state" an order of society which is not created by the king or the people, but which they exist to secure. These authors regarded the "state" – if that word might be used here – as essentially a beneficial institution for protection of human life and welfare and for the better realization of the ideals of humanity. - Jan Gonda.

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