Public Administration in Ancient India c22.3

c22.3

¹ Nītivākyāmrita, Ch. 1. Prof. Rhys Davids defines ‘dharma’ as “what it behoves a man of right feeling to do—or, on the other hand, what a man of sense will naturally hold.” Buddhist India. The Mitāksharā mentions the following six kinds of ‘dharmas’ or duties: (1) Varṇa-dharma, or duties of castes; (2) Āśrama-dharma, or duties of orders; (3) Varṇāśrama-dharma, or duties of the orders of particular castes; (4) Guṇa-dharma, or duties of persons in accordance with their qualities; (5) Nimitta-dharma, or duties on particular occasions; and (6) Sādhāraṇa-dharma, or general duties (i.e. those to be observed by all).”