A History of Hindu Political Theories from the Earliest Times to the End of the First Quarter of the Seventeenth Century A.D. c9.17

c9.17

In the above it will be observed, a place is found for each of the four traditional sciences. Philosophy, instead of being merged, as by the school of Manu, in the triple Veda, is lifted to the position of the foremost science, and declared to be the guide philosopher and friend of men. The triple Veda, instead of being looked upon, as it was by the school of Brihaspati, as a superfluity from the point of view of material existence, is observed to embody the essential duties of the castes and the orders. Vārttā, instead of being ruled out from the list of sciences as was done by the school of Śukra, is discovered to be the means of ensuring livelihood and supplying the sinews of the State's existence. On the other hand, Daṇḍanīti is held through punishment which is its essence to be the ultimate condition of the functioning of the other sciences.∗