State and Government in Ancient India c14.s1.43

c14.s1.43

² Jayaswal’s view (Part II. p. 84) that the *Arthaśāstra* refers to the Sectional Sub-assemblies of the Paura in charge of the sacred places and public buildings and of trades and manufactures, is also untenable. What the *Arthaśāstra* states is this: the spies should visit the concourse of people (*jana-samavāya*) at *tīrthas* or holy places, public halls (*sabhā-śālās*) and markets (*pūgas*) and cunningly start a discussion there with a view to ascertain the views of the people in general about the king and the administration. Could it ever have been possible for spies to start discussions in the Sub-committees of the City-Assembly, of which they could hardly have been members? The state also could have learnt of their views from their general debates; there was no necessity of spies being sent to induce them to start discussion. The original passage of the *Arthaśāstra* is given below :—