History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.230.2

v4.c62.230.2

Medhātithi adds that the king is not authorised to interfere with the *śāstric* rules governing the varṇas and āśramas such as the performance of agnihotra.127a This gloss of Medhātithi occurs word for word in the Rājanītiprakāśa (pp. 23-24), which gives a more correct text than the printed editions of Mandlik and Gharpure. Kauṭilya (II. 10) devotes a chapter to the drawing up of śāsanas, particularly with reference to their linguistic elegance and diplomatic etiquette. The Śukranītisāra (I. 312-313) prescribes that the king's edicts (śāsana) should be proclaimed to the subjects by beat of drum, that his edicts should be written and displayed where four roads meet, and that the king should declare that breaches of the orders would entail heavy fines. In I. 292-311 Śukra gives instances of such orders, the most important of which are: Watchmen should take rounds in the several streets every one hour and a half at night in order to prevent thieves and paramours moving about; people should not employ abuse or beating towards their slave, servant, wife, son or pupil; no one should practise deceit in respect of measures, weights, coins, resins, metals, ghee, honey, milk, fat, flour; no document should be got by force; no bribes should be taken nor should any bribes be given to persons engaged in doing the king's work; no one should offer shelter to bad characters, thieves, paramours, those who hate the king, the enemy;