State and Government in Ancient India c10.s3.2

c10.s3.2

The doctrine of Karman also has left some influence on the polity. At one stage of its development this doctrine believed in the possibility of an individual’s *karman* being transferrable to another; the political thinkers therefore regarded it as possible for the sages to pay off their dues to the state by transferring one sixth of their *punya* or merit to it. The threat that was held out to the king that if he misgoverned, the sin of the crimes of the subjects would be visited on him was also another corollary of the same doctrine. The usual view however was that a person reaps as he sows; this was responsible for the threat of a long sojourn in hell held before a vicious king or a false witness. Three days’ respite that Aśoka had granted to condemned criminals was for the purpose of enabling them or their relations to undertake pious acts, so that the criminals may benefit by them after their execution.