History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.529.1

v4.c62.529.1

Kauṭilya devotes one book (VIII) to the discussion of *vyasana*. Vyasana ³¹³ means 'what deprives a man of great good' (from the root 'as' to throw with 'vi'). According to Kauṭ. vyasana may be either the absence of qualities (such as noble birth) or the opposite of such qualities, faults (such as hot temper), excessive attachment (to women &c.), harassment (by invasion or calamities like famines). So vyasanas may broadly be divided into two classes viz. calamities and faults due to *kāma* (passion) and *krodha* (hot temper). The view of many *ācāryas* is that of the vyasanas of the king, ministers, the people of the realm, fort, treasury, army and ally, the vyasanas of each preceding one are more serious than those of each succeeding one. From the discussion in VIII. 1 it appears that Kauṭilya in this case agrees with the ācāryas. Differing from Bhāradvāja Kauṭ. holds that the calamities befalling a king or his vices are more serious in their consequences than those of the ministers, since it is the king who appoints the ministers, the purohita, other servants and superintendents of departments and he can employ others in their places and since the rise or fall of the people depends upon him.