History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.239

v4.c62.239

Kauṭilya (VIII. 2) speaks of a novel rule called ‘dvai-rājya’¹³¹ (sovereignty of two) and distinguishes it from ‘vairājya’. The Mss. differ in their readings, but the reading given in the footnote by Dr. Sham Sastri seems preferable. Kauṭ. remarks “As between dvairājya and vairājya (foreign rule) the former perishes on account of mutual hatred and rivalry; but the latter according to the *ācāryas* is enjoyed by foreigners as it is, when it pays attention to winning over the subjects; ‘No’ says Kauṭilya ‘dvairājya’ (generally) exists between father and son or between two brothers, their welfare is the same and therefore by reason of the influence of *amātyas* (over the two rulers) it can last, but *vairājya* comes into existence by being seized from another king who is living and therefore the (foreign ruler) thinking ‘this country is not mine’ impoverishes it and carries off its wealth or treats it as a chattel (for sale) or when he finds that the country is disaffected towards him abandons it and goes away”. This remarkable passage contains the mentality of foreign rulers in a nutshell. Manu IV. 160 in a lucid and laconic manner states how in-dividual and national happiness lies in freedom. Kālidāsa in his Mālavikāgnimitra¹³² (Act V) appears to refer to the conception of dvairājya when he makes Agnimitra say that the latter desires to establish a dvairājya for the brothers Yajñasena and Mādhavasena on the north and south banks of the river Varadā, who would both remain under the command of the king (Agnimitra). In the Mahābhārata a similar rule of two brothers, Vinda and Anuvinda in Avanti, appears to be referred to (vide Udyogaparva 166, cr. ed. chap. 163). MacCrindle in ‘Invasion of India by Alexander’ p. 296 quotes Diodorus to the effect that Alexander sailing up the river came to Taula (Paṭala?) a city of great note with a political constitution drawn on the same lines as the Spartan, for in this community the command in war was vested in two hereditary kings of two different houses, while a council of elders ruled the whole State with paramount authority. Vide Jayaswal's ‘Hindu Polity’ part I pp. 96–97 and Dr. D. R. Bhandarkar's ‘Ancient Indian Polity’ p. 99–100 for some further details on dvairājya from Buddhist and other sources.