History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.160.2

v4.c62.160.2

In these and other places 'world' means 'Bharatavarṣa' for which see H. Dh. vol. II pp. 17-18. Sovereignty (*sāmrājya*) consisted in ancient India not necessarily or invariably in acquiring control over vassal kings in all their affairs. Generally the supreme ruler did not hanker after territory so much as after having his superior prowess acknowledged. The descriptions of *digvijayas* (world conquests) in the Mahābhārata (e. g. of Pāṇḍu in Ādi 113, of Arjuna and the other Pāṇḍava brothers in Sabhā, chap. 26-32) show that there was no aggrandizement by acquiring fresh territory but all that was desired was to make the several kings submit and pay tribute or offer presents. Arjuna expressly says in Sabhā 25.3 that he would bring tribute from all kings and the conquered kings are generally represented as submitting and making presents of gems, golds, horses, cows to the conqueror. The Allahabad stone pillar⁹⁹ Inscription of Samudragupta (Gupta Ins. p. 8) states that the *pratyanta* (bordering) kings of Samataṭa and other countries and the Mālava and other tribal oligarchies fully gratified Samudragupta's commands by giving all tribute, by obeying his orders and by coming to perform obeisance. Śānti 96 insists that conquests should be made according to dharma. Empire did not mean imposition of the language or the government system of the conqueror on the conquered country. The conqueror's duty as understood by ancient Indian works was quite different as will be presently shown.