A History of Hindu Political Theories from the Earliest Times to the End of the First Quarter of the Seventeenth Century A.D. c10.121

c10.121

Not content with invoking the law of self-preservation Bhīṣma appeals in the context that we are now treating to the normal tendencies of existence as furnishing a sufficient justification for his rule of policy. Here again, it should be noticed, he supports his argument by pointing to the example of the pious. The livelihood of no man here, he says, not even that of the ascetic living in the forest and wandering alone can be maintained without hurting others. No one can live by following the occupation that is prescribed by the sage Śaṅkha; especially is this maxim true of one who desires to protect his subjects.† In the above extract, it will be noticed, Bhīṣma virtually declares in justification of his statecraft that violence is the natural law of existence and especially of the government of men. Of a similar nature is the statement contained in a later passage, namely that whatever exists in this world is desired by all men, each of them shouting 'This is mine'.‡ This passage which occurs in the midst of a panegyric on wealth, evidently implies the acquisition of riches to be the natural law of existence.