A History of Hindu Political Theories from the Earliest Times to the End of the First Quarter of the Seventeenth Century A.D. c10.105

c10.105

While on the subject of punishment, Manu mentions certain qualities as being absolutely necessary for the king's successful discharge of this all-important function. Such are the qualities of straightforwardness, considerateness, control of the senses and the like.[^ §] We might perhaps take this in the light of a much-needed corrective to the view laid down by the author in an earlier passage[^ ||] where punishment is declared in effect to be the king's divine prerogative.