Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c3.34

c3.34

Fortunately, the above proposition has been argued at great length and in a quite convincing manner by the learned German orientalist Prof. Jacobi,¹ who successfully combats Hillebrandt's² view that Kauṭilya is not himself the sole author of the *Arthaśāstra*. Hillebrandt based his view on the inference that the expressions “इति कौटिल्यः” and “नेति कौटिल्यः,” occurring no less than seventy-two times in the text, show that it is not the work of an individual author named Kauṭilya but of a school. It is, however, forgotten that the use of the first person and the consequent assumption of prominence or self-assertiveness by an author who wants to refute opposite views is always repugnant to Indian feeling, and the other alternative of writing one's own name in that connexion is invariably followed as a piece of literary etiquette in India. Secondly, to say that a work is the production of a school would mean (i) that its alleged author was the founder of the school traced to him in which discussions lead to definite conclusions and the creation of a tradition which is handed down from teacher to students, and (ii) that the tradition so created is afterwards embodied in a book-form by later students. None of these assumptions would, however, apply to Kauṭilya, considering the historical position of the man who, according to unanimous tradition as explained above, played such an important part not only in the foundation of the Maurya empire, but also in its governance as its first Chancellor with his onerous State duties. As Prof. Jacobi well observes: “One can hardly imagine that Bismarck after his day’s work should have held a conference with the professors of a college over politics and State administration, and it is hardly less improbable to assume that Kauṭilya, the Indian Bismarck, should like an ordinary Pandit surround himself with students, teach them the *Arthaśāstra*, and found a school.” The fact is, that the book begat the school, and not the school the book.