History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.75

v4.c62.75

The Nāradasmṛti as indicated above (pp. 23, 27 and note 27) is a thorough-going advocate of the theory of divine right. It says (prakīrṇaka 20-22) 'It is Indra himself who moves about on the earth as king; people can nowhere live after transgressing his orders. Since the privilege of protection is his because of his supreme power (majesty) and on account of the fact that he is benign to all creatures, the settled rule is that whatever a king does is right. Just as the husband, though weak, must be honoured by the wife, so a ruler though devoid of qualities must be honoured by his subjects'. Verse 25 inculcates the duty of obedience to the king.