A History of Hindu Political Theories from the Earliest Times to the End of the First Quarter of the Seventeenth Century A.D. c12.s2.37

c12.s2.37

While on this subject we may mention a remarkable dictum of Śukra which involves, we think, an extreme development of the old Hindu maxim of the co-ordination of taxation and protection. The king, says the author in one place, having the aspect of a master was appointed by Brahmā to the service (dāsyatva) of the people, with his own share of the produce as his fee (svabhāgabhrityā) for the purpose of constantly protecting them.∗ According to this view, then, the king is the servant of the people by divine creation, and he receives his share of the produce as his fee for the service of protection.†