History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.248.8

v4.c62.248.8

56-59) prescribes the matters in which consultations are to be held with ministers and the procedure thereof, viz. peace and war, *sthāna* (i. e. army, treasury, capital and the country), sources of revenue, protection (of himself and of the country), the proper bestowal of the wealth obtained; the king is to ascertain the opinions of ministers separately and then jointly and then do what is beneficial; he is then to hold consultation on the most important affairs relating to the six means of policy with a wise brāhmaṇa who is the most distinguished of all ministers and always to rely upon him, to settle all lines of policy finally on his advice and then to act. Yāj. I. 312 also requires the king to consult his *mantrins*, then a brāhmaṇa (purohita) and thereafter to decide himself the course of action. The principal matters which mantrins have to concentrate themselves upon, acc. to Kām. XIII. 23-24 (= Agnipurāṇa 241. 16-18), are: *mantra*, securing the fruit of the line of policy adopted (such as conquering a country and protecting it), the carrying out of the business (of the State), predicting the good or evil effects (of an action taken), revenue and expenditure, government (i. e. punishing those who deserve punishment), subduing enemies, measures against calamities like famine, guarding the king and the kingdom.¹⁴¹ The Nītivākyāmṛta (p. 185) concisely puts the same by saying that amātyas have to concern themselves with revenue, expenditure, guarding the ruler (i. e.