Hindu Administrative Institutions c9.s1.11

c9.s1.11

Granting then that the institution of private property in land existed, it is necessary to examine the position of the state in relation to these lands. The king had nothing more than protective control over the practice of *dharma* both in his state and the subject-states as well.¹ This means the central state had the right to punish the misbehaved in their kingdom including the tributary states. On the strength of this Rāma argued that he was right in killing the unrighteous Vāli.²