Hindu Polity: A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times c28.11

c28.11

The *wealth* of the Hindu republic is a matter of admiration both in home and foreign records. The Greeks noticed their riches and the Mahā-Bhārata also bears testimony to it. A citizen had ambition to be the leader of the trade association or of the guild merchant failing to be a political leader (§ 117). The art of peace and the art of war, discipline and perseverance, habits of ruling and being ruled, thought and action, home and state, went hand in hand. A highly practical and keen individual and citizen would have been the result of this life. With these virtues and this culture, there is no wonder that the Mahā-Bhārata says that their alliance was courted, and that they took delight in reducing their foes, and saw to their material prosperity. This is explained by the fact that their training and genius were not one-sided. They were not solely political animals. They were economic animals equally. Kauṭilya characterises them as martial and industrial in the same breath; they were forced to be industrial and martial by their laws. Attention paid to trade and agriculture kept their treasury and themselves rich.