Hindu Polity: A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times c7.13

c7.13

The treatises on political theories and practical governance were originally called Dᴀɴᴅᴀ-Nɪ̄ᴛɪ or the 'Principles of Government'² and Aʀᴛʜᴀ-Śᴀ̄sᴛʀᴀ or the 'Code of Common-wealth. Kauṭilya defines the latter: "*Aʀᴛʜᴀ* is "human population, that is to say, territory with human popula-"tion. The Code of Artha (Common-wealth) is a code "dealing with the means (art, *upāya*) of acquisiton and "growth of that territory."³ *Daṇḍa-Nīti* was the title adopted by Uśanas,⁴ and *Artha-Śāstra*, by Bṛhaspati,⁵ for their repective works which were very famous in Hindu Classical times. A book, rather an encyclopædia, under the title *Daṇḍa-Nīti*, ascribed to Prajāpati, is mentioned in the *Mahā-Bhārata*.⁶ The subject is also called *Rāja-Śāstra*⁷ or the 'Code for the Rulers,' and *Rāja-Dharma* or