Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c13.s1.4

v1.c13.s1.4

The opinion of Gautama that meting out punishment is a necessary attribute of the State is to be traced to Manu, who explains thus the importance of *daṇḍa*: "For the (king's sake, the Lord formerly created his own son, Punishment, the protector of all creatures (an incarnation of) the law, formed of Brahman's glory. Through fear of him all created beings, both the immovable and the movable, allow themselves to be enjoyed, and swerve not from their duties".¹ The necessity of instituting the law of punishment is seen in the security it gives to all the four orders. "Punishment is (in reality) the king and the male, that the manager of affairs, that the ruler, and that is called the surety for the four orders' obedience to the law. Punishment alone governs all created beings, punishment alone protects them, punishment watches over them while they sleep; the wise declare punishment (to be identical with) the law".² Then again Manu says: "The whole world is kept in order by punishment, for a guiltless man is hard to find; through fear of punishment the whole world yields the enjoyment (which it owes)".³