A History of Hindu Political Theories from the Earliest Times to the End of the First Quarter of the Seventeenth Century A.D. c8.s3.111

c8.s3.111

now considering arrived at the familiar doctrine of the two powers, not as in the Dharmasūtras by making these the source of the other classes, but by adopting the plea of Divine ordination. As regards the mutual relations of these powers, we may first mention the view attributed by Bhīṣma to the sage Kaśyapa. Where the Brāhmaṇa and the Kṣatriya quarrel with each other, says the sage, the kingdom perishes. He concludes by saying that the Brāhmaṇa and the Kṣatriya powers are constantly joined together for mutual support. "The Kṣatriya power is the source of the Brāhmaṇa, and the Brāhmaṇas are the source of the Kṣatriya power. When these two powers constantly help each other, they attain high prosperity; but if their primeval alliance is broken, everything is plunged into confusion."¹ In this passage it will be observed, not only are the interests of the Brāhmaṇa and the Kṣatriya held to be interdependent, but their origin is said, however illogically, to be inter-connected.