Hindu Administrative Institutions c7.s7.64

c7.s7.64

The responsibilities and rights of the ancient Hindu king were too many and too varied. A catalogue of such duties and rights is given not only in the *Dharmaśāstras*, the *Arthaśāstras* and the *Purāṇas* but also in the whole range of Vedic literature both the *Saṃhitās* and the *Brāhmaṇas*. The *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa* says that the king is the upholder of the sacred law or *dharma* as also his *śrotriya* (the *purohita*). The king alone is not ‘capable of all and every speech, nor of all and every deed’. ³ By upholding law he becomes a realm sustainer—*rāṣṭrabhṛt*.⁴ The necessity of offspring to a ruler so as to continue an uninterrupted succession is told in another succeeding verse.⁵ It is also enjoined that a king could not afford to neglect or oppress the *purohita* but try to work in conjunction with him and so to win distinction.⁶ His other functions are to root out the enemies and thus bring welfare to his people.⁷ He was to bestow gifts of land and wealth on the deserving but with the previous approval of the clan.⁸ He was forbidden to rear cattle.⁹