Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c13.s5.20

v1.c13.s5.20

The instances which we have given above, while they give us a comprehensive view of the measures adopted by the monarchs and people of Vijayanagara to suppress official tyranny, do not enable us to understand the nature of punishment which the rulers inflicted on those who violated what was thought to be established law. As we have already remarked, daṇḍa alone, according to the opinion of the Hindu lawgivers, is responsible for the maintenance of order and peace in the society. We have now to acquaint ourselves with such of the details which we can gather about punishment under Vijayanagara.