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OPINION APRIL 30, 2021 | The Indian Eye 14

generality of Kautilyan

Tenets Informed

by unique Indianness

From the spiritualism of Sankhya to the materialism of Lokayat, philosophy in Kautilya’s

Arthashastra taught the ruler to not only think rationally but also act rationally

KajarI KaMal

autilya’s Arthashastra is,
perhaps, the quintessen-
Ktial treatise on ancient In-
dian statecraft. Its policy prescrip-
tions are universal and by virtue
of their generality, it is averred
that “they could have been ar-
rived at by others elsewhere and
in different times.” This suggests,
almost reassuringly, that there
is a broad convergence on the
range of issues discussed and
options explored in the practice spiritual good and evil in the
of statecraft across geographies. Vedas, material gain and loss in
While this is true at one level, economics, good policy and bad
it, however, underappreciates tradition through the incorpo- thashastra talks about it being a policy in the science of politics
the distinctiveness that cultural ration of ‘Anvikshiki’ (science compendium of all previous Ar- and the relative strength and
and geographical contexts lend of inquiry). The core branches thashastras, written with the ob- weakness of these. Anvikshiki
to the vocabularies of power, of knowledge in the Arthashas- jective of acquisition and mainte- here is seen as an analytical tool
kingship and morality. The Ar- tra are Anvikshiki (Philosophy), nance of the earth. ‘Artha’, which to verify the utility of the recom-
thashastra stands out in both Trayi or the Vedas, Varta (Eco- is defined as the land (earth) mendations of the established
its universality (in terms of the nomics) and Dandaniti (Political inhabited by human beings, is branches of knowledge in light
range of questions and answers) Science). While critical inquiry/ seen as the wellspring of all eco- of objective reality.
and particularity (of its embed- philosophy (the Anvikshiki) is nomic activities and the science Anvikshiki or reasoned inqui-
dedness in Indian philosophical stated as an autonomous disci- that deals with the protection ry concerns itself with the acqui-
thought). This article concerns pline, it is seen as the lamp for of that land is the Arthashastra. sition of knowledge which is the
the latter, and in so doing, seeks all branches of knowledge The purpose of the scripture (to prerequisite for a spectrum of
to assert the unique character Kautilya also handpicks a set achieve wealth that has not been activities, from mundane goals
of the text which innately in- of three schools of Indian philos- achieved and to maintain wealth to elimination of suffering.
tertwines precepts of philoso- ophy as the philosophical sub- that has been achieved), there- Each of the philosophical
phy with principles of statecraft. structure of Anvikshiki. These fore, is aligned with the objective substructures that contribute to
The Arthashastra is broadly are Sankhya, Yoga (Vaisheshi- of knowledge which is essential the text’s scientific/rational di-
divided into three parts: political ka) and Lokayata, the first two in order to secure the desired mension, also lend it an ethical
theory, problems of administra- are orthodox schools and the objective (artha). perspective, coalescing the ratio-
tion, and interstate relations, in last heterodox. Each of these Anvikshiki, according to nal and prudent with the ethical
that order. It is the discussion schools through their principal Kautilya, is the illuminator of and abstract. Sankhya through
in the first part that establishes tenets lends a distinct character other branches of knowledge – its recognition of contrasting
the theoretical underpinning of to the functioning and objectives Vedas, Economics and Political principles–purusha (observing
the text and alludes to its cou- of ancient Indian statecraft. Science, because it investigates mind) and prakriti (nature), al-
pling with Indian philosophical The very first verse of the Ar- by means of reasoning what is Continued on next page... >>

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