History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.310

v4.c62.310

¹⁷⁸ भूतपूर्वमभूतपूर्वं वा जनपदं परदेशापवाहनेन स्वदेशाभिष्यन्दवमनेन वा निवेशयेत् । शूद्रकर्षकप्रायं कुलशणावरं पञ्चशतकुलपरं ग्रामं क्रोशद्विकोशसीमानमन्योन्यारक्षं निवेशयेत् । अर्थशास्त्र II. 1. This passage clearly shows that Kauṭilya at least employed the word *janapada* in the sense of a territory to be colonized and as one which was either included within the kingdom or not so included. Dr. Prān Nath's interpretation of *janapada* that it was only 'a part of the kingdom' (p. 47, 'Study in the economic condition of ancient India') cannot be accepted in view of the express words भूतपूर्वमभूतपूर्वम्. The usage of classical writers and the Purāṇas shows that janapada means simply 'country' and Amara gives it as a synonym of देश and विषय and क्षीरस्वामी explains that जनपद is called राष्ट्र. The Kāvyamīmāṁsā on which Dr. Prān Nath relies for the number of countries employs the word *janapada* for the names of the countries in the four quarters of India (not for parts of any kingdom).