2023-02-16 11:11:41 by ambuda-bot
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Introduction
works on the science of politics also began to be
written. Unfortunately, however, the
the earliest
treatises on politics are all lost. Of the technical
works which are now available to us is the Artha-
śāstra of Kautilya (4th century B.C.). We shall
see that the Rajadharma section of the Santi Parva
of the Mahabharata also can be said to be as good
as a regular treatise on the science of Polity.
Both these works refer to certain earlier theorists.
The first three verses of Santi Parva, 58, name
Brhaspati, Viśālakṣa (Śiva), Kavya
(Sukra),
Mahendra (Indra), Manu, Bharadvāja and Gaura-
śiras as writers on the science of Politics (rajaśāstra-
pranetārah). In the following canto (i.e., canto
59) of the Santi Parva we have the story that the
Creator (Svayambhu) with a view to instructing
the world in the means of avoiding anarchy and
unhappiness composed a colossal treatise in 100,000
chapters in which he dealt with Dharma, Artha and
Kāma (v. 29). An idea of the contents of the said
work is given in vv. 30-73. Then it is recounted
(in vv. 81 to 86) that Śiva first mastered the treatise
and then reduced its size to 10,000 chapters, and his
abridgement was known as Vaiśālākṣam. Indra
reduced its size to 5,000 chapters, and his version
came to be known as Bahudantaka. This was
reduced to 3,000 chapters by Brhaspati, and Sukra
4. etat te rajadharmāṇāṁ navanītam yudhisthira
brhaspatir hi bhagavān nāyyam dharmam prasamsati
viśālākṣaśca bhagavān kavyaś caiva mahātapaḥ
sahasrākṣo mahendraś ca tathā prācetaso manuḥ
bhāradvājaśca bhagavāṁstathā gauraśirā muniḥ
rājaśāstra praṇetāro brahmaṇyā brahmavādinaḥ
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Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
THE-MIAITANITryr or IAITIARKI
works on the science of politics also began to be
written. Unfortunately, however, the
the earliest
treatises on politics are all lost. Of the technical
works which are now available to us is the Artha-
śāstra of Kautilya (4th century B.C.). We shall
see that the Rajadharma section of the Santi Parva
of the Mahabharata also can be said to be as good
as a regular treatise on the science of Polity.
Both these works refer to certain earlier theorists.
The first three verses of Santi Parva, 58, name
Brhaspati, Viśālakṣa (Śiva), Kavya
(Sukra),
Mahendra (Indra), Manu, Bharadvāja and Gaura-
śiras as writers on the science of Politics (rajaśāstra-
pranetārah). In the following canto (i.e., canto
59) of the Santi Parva we have the story that the
Creator (Svayambhu) with a view to instructing
the world in the means of avoiding anarchy and
unhappiness composed a colossal treatise in 100,000
chapters in which he dealt with Dharma, Artha and
Kāma (v. 29). An idea of the contents of the said
work is given in vv. 30-73. Then it is recounted
(in vv. 81 to 86) that Śiva first mastered the treatise
and then reduced its size to 10,000 chapters, and his
abridgement was known as Vaiśālākṣam. Indra
reduced its size to 5,000 chapters, and his version
came to be known as Bahudantaka. This was
reduced to 3,000 chapters by Brhaspati, and Sukra
4. etat te rajadharmāṇāṁ navanītam yudhisthira
brhaspatir hi bhagavān nāyyam dharmam prasamsati
viśālākṣaśca bhagavān kavyaś caiva mahātapaḥ
sahasrākṣo mahendraś ca tathā prācetaso manuḥ
bhāradvājaśca bhagavāṁstathā gauraśirā muniḥ
rājaśāstra praṇetāro brahmaṇyā brahmavādinaḥ
Digitized by
9
Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
THE-MIAITANITryr or IAITIARKI