A History of Hindu Political Theories from the Earliest Times to the End of the First Quarter of the Seventeenth Century A.D. c7.57

c7.57

We have endeavoured above to describe the Vedic theory of the king's rule by virtue of his divine nature. It is now proper to consider an important limitation imposed by the Vedic canonists upon the king's authority over his subjects. The Śat. Br., describing one of the central ceremonies of the Rājasūya, namely, that in which the sacrificer takes his seat upon the throne, states, "The king indeed is the upholder of the sacred law, for he is not capable of all and every speech, nor of all and every deed; but that he should speak only what is right, and do what is right, of that he, as well as the Śrotriya (the Brāhmaṇa versed in sacred writ) is capable; for these two are upholders of the sacred law among men."¹ This passage evidently attempts to limit the king's powers by a reference to the moral nature of his functions. According to it righteous conduct is the natural and necessary attribute of the king and the priest, since both of them are entrusted with the guardianship of the sacred law.