Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c10.13

c10.13

According to Kauṭilya, [VII. II], a country the majority of whose population is of lower classes (*avaravarṇa-prāya*) is, from the economic point of view, better (*śreyasī*) than one of the four highest castes (*chāturvarṇyābhiniveśe*). The lower classes are capable of all work and hardship (*sarva-bhoga-sahatvāt*) such as agriculture needs. Agriculture further depends on cattle and the Śūdras are herdsmen and follow cattle-rearing as their profession (*pāśupālya*). There are also needed the Vaiśyas who store up grain and supply agricultural loans on the basis of crops (*paṇya-nichayariṇānugrahāt*). Kauṭilya considers Agriculture as the best industry because it may be plied at most places (*bāhulyāt*) and is certain of results (*dhruvatvāt*). Thus, in his opinion, that *bhūmi* or country is the best which is (1) *karshaṇavatī*, suitable to agriculture; (2) *gorakshakavatī*, full of herdsmen; and (3) *vaṇigvatī*, full of merchants who finance agriculture.