History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.409.8

v4.c62.409.8

Perhaps the only redeeming feature of these devices is that Kauṭilya is careful to point out that they were to be employed only against the seditious and the irreligious and not against others (V. 2 ‘*evaṁ dūṣyeṣvadharmiṣeṣu varteta netareṣu*’). Vide Nītivākyāmṛta (kośa-samuddeśa) p. 205 for similar provisions to replenish a depleted treasury. The Paraśurāmapratāpa (Rājavallabhakāṇḍa, folio 27 b) quotes a verse which recommends resort to alchemy for replenishing the treasury240a. Śukra IV. 2. 11 advises the king when in financial difficulties to promise interest to the rich and take their wealth and to return it with interest when the difficulties are got over²⁴¹. Śānti (88. 29–30) asks²⁴² the king to honour the wealthy men in his kingdom, since they constitute an important element of the realm and are the most eminent among all beings and to request them ‘confer along with me favours on the people’.