History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s16.t2.1

v1.c6.s16.t2.1

That Uśanas wrote a work on politics follows from several circumstances. The Kauṭilīya quotes the Auśanasāḥ seven times. It is almost certainly referring to a work. That work contained directions on the administration of justice also, as Kauṭilya speaks of Auśanasa method of partition (in allowing a tenth additional share to the eldest son, III. 6), as Auśanasāḥ prescribed fines in cases where witnesses proved stupid &c. (III. 11) and fines for forcible seizure of jewels &c. (III. 17). The Mahābhārata, Śāntiparva¹⁹⁵ (chap. 56, 29-30 and 57. 3) refers to a work on politics by Uśanas and quotes three verses, the last being found in Sabhā 55. 14. In other places also we have a Nītiśāstra ascribed to Bhārgava (Śānti 210. 20) and certain verses are ascribed to him (Śānti 57, 40-41 and 139, 70-71). *Vide* also Anuśāsana 39, 8-9 and Sabhā 62. 11-12. The Nītiprakāśikā of Janamejaya refers to a succession of teachers of politics from Brahmā down to Janamejaya and says that Śukra was one of those who abridged the enormous extent of rājaśāstra.¹⁹⁶ The Mudrārākṣasa (I. p. 71 Telang's ed.) also speaks of Auśanasī Daṇḍanīti. Viśvarūpa (on Yāj. I. 307) asks the king to appoint ministers in accordance with the views propounded in the śāstras of Bṛhaspati and Uśanas and quotes a long passage in prose from Bṛhaspati in which the śāstras of Manu, Bṛhaspati and Uśanas are joined together. This work on politics probably contained verses also. Medhātithi on Manu (7. 15) quotes two verses speaking of eight activities of a king.196a So also on Manu 8. 50 Medhātithi cites from Uśanas the words ‘prakṛtīnām balaṁ rājā,’ which are an Anuṣṭubh *pāda*. This sūtra work on politics by Uśanas has not yet been discovered. The Tāṇḍya-Mahābrāhmaṇa says that Kāvya Uśanas was the purohita of the Asuras (7. 5. 20).