A History of Hindu Political Theories from the Earliest Times to the End of the First Quarter of the Seventeenth Century A.D. c9.19

c9.19

We are thus able to form some idea of the high function assigned by Kauṭilya to what may be called the science of politics. An equally advanced idea relating to the end of the science is conveyed by the author in two of his concluding verses, where he declares Arthaśāstra to be the means of acquiring and preserving both this and the next world, and states that it promotes and secures the threefold end of life (namely, virtue, wealth and desire), and destroys what is opposed to these. Politics, as thus conceived, is the source of fulfilment of almost the whole life of the individual. We are however bound to state in this place that there are grave doubts as to the degree to which the conception of politics as above described had a practical application in Kauṭilya’s system. The passage bearing on this point which has been just quoted is evidently put in at the end to magnify the importance of the science. Further, and above all, the rules of policy laid down by the author are, as we hope to show presently, dominated by the idea that the State is virtually an end in itself.