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20
 

 
CĀŅAKYA-RĀJA-NĪTI
 

 
stated above, would normally be included in a treatise

on raja-niti. This new collection of maxims attributed

to Cāṇakya is not an attempt to prepare an ur-text.

of Kautilya's Arthaśāstra in a versified form, but a.

compilation of Canakya's maxims and aphorisms.

dealing with rāja-nīti, arranged in a logical order

according to subject matter. The preparation of such

a text seems to be quite important, since these verses

were undoubtedly, rightly or wrongly, attributed in

texts and tradition to Cāṇakya-Kautilya.
 

 
After having quoted the introductory stanzas (1-4).

which show the raja-niti character of the various.

collections of Cāṇakya maxims,¹ those maxims which.

could be grouped into one of the following chapters.

are included: king's duties and qualities; king's.

friends and enemies; war, peace, alliances and

stratagem to be used by the king; king's officials; and

king's subjects. Other maxims of a raja-niti character

which could not be included in one of these chapters

are grouped at the end in the chapter called Varia'.

In the first sub-division the main duties and

qualities of the king (5-18) (they are familiar to the

leading Dharma- and Artha-śāstra-s), maxims dealing

with the duty of the king to rule in accordance with

dharma, to protect the subjects, and the main virtues.

of the king are quoted.
 

 
C
 

 
1 Introductory stanzas of a more general character have been.
omitted.
 

omitted.