History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.107.4

v4.c62.107.4

'Until philosophers are kings or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy and political greatness and wisdom meet in one and these commoner natures who follow either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never cease from ill-no, nor the human race as I believe-and then only will our State have a possibility of light and behold the light of day &c.' The Agnipurāṇa (225. 1-4) prescribes that the prince should be taught dharmaśāstra, kāmaśāstra, arthaśāstra, science of archery (dhanurveda), the various arts and crafts by trusted teachers, that he should not be allowed to be associated with those who are angry with the king or disrespected by him or who are greedy and that if it is impossible to impart good qualities to him he should be confined, surrounded by pleasures. The princes were sometimes educated in their own capital or in a nearby college. Vide H. Dh. vol. II. p. 364. Sometimes, it appears, princes went to such famous seats of learning as Takṣaśīlā (vide Jātakas ed. by Fausböll II. 87, 278, 319, 323, 400, III. 158, 168, 415, 463). The subjects of study there were the three vedas and 18 śilpāni or vidyās (Jātakas, vol. II. 87, III. 115). Kauṭilya (I. 4) explains that Vārtā is constituted by agriculture, the rearing of cattle and trade; it benefits (the State) by bringing in grain, cattle, gold, baser metals, and free labour;