A History of Hindu Political Theories from the Earliest Times to the End of the First Quarter of the Seventeenth Century A.D. c8.s3.7

c8.s3.7

In the scheme of duties just described, it will be noticed that the function of protection is reserved for a special class, namely, the Kṣatriyas. This would seem to involve as its necessary corollary an oligarchical constitution in which the Kṣatriyas monopolised the political power. Nevertheless the Dharmasūtras expressly entrust the function of government to the king who is indeed the Kṣatriya *par excellence*. To him belong the duties of lawful punishment, State relief of the Brāhmaṇas and other people, fighting the enemy, levying of taxes, administration of justice, appointment of State officers, performance of sacrifices, and the like.∗ The bare enumeration of these duties is enough to show how the king’s public functions are blended in the Dharmasūtras with his domestic functions in the category of the Whole Duty of this personage.