The Mauryan Polity c11.s1.t3.33

c11.s1.t3.33

The *utthānam* and *arthasamtīraṇā* which are said to be the roots of the administration in Edict (VI) are equivalent to the Sanskrit *utthānam* and *arthasamhitānam*. They are the main prescriptions of the Kauṭalīya and the epics. Bhīṣma in addressing Yudhiṣṭhira on the kingly duties says: “Oh Yudhiṣṭhira, you must ever cultivate exertion. Even gods do not help business (*artha*) of those kings devoid of activity.”¹ The *Arthaśāstra* contains similar prescriptions.² In fact Kauṭalya speaks of these as the essential requisites for a government to conduct itself to the satisfaction of its subjects. Much stress is indeed laid on the requisite *utthānam* by the author of the *Arthaśāstra*, for, on it depends the prosecution of state business. These prescriptions show that in the field of political administration as in others Aśoka was merely following the Kauṭalīyan tradition. We may now conclude this portion with Professor Kern’s remarks: “Nothing of Buddhist spirit can be discovered in his state policy. From the very beginning of his reign he was a good prince.”³