Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c13.s1.15

v1.c13.s1.15

With that spirit of compromise which is so characteristic of him, Sukra gives to us the mediaeval conception of *daṇḍa* thus: "Daṇḍa is restraint and punishment, hence the king is also known to be Daṇḍa. The Niti that regulates punishment constitutes Daṇḍanīti, Niti so called because it governs and guides".³ This may be considered along with the earlier definition given by Kauṭilya: "That sceptre on which the wellbeing and progress of sciences of Anvīkṣhakī, the triple Vēdas, and Vārtā depend is known as Daṇḍa (punishment). That which treats of Daṇḍa is the law of punishment of science of government (daṇḍanīti)".⁴ Obviously the reference here is to the importance of *daṇḍa* in the social life of the people as suggested by Manu.