Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c14.98

c14.98

Slavery. Megasthenes is the source of the statement of Arrian that "all Indians are free, and not one of them is a slave." In fact, the supposed slavery prevailing in India was of such a mild character and limited extent as compared with the slavery known to the Hellenic world that Megasthenes could not notice its existence. We have besides the injunctions of the *Arthaśāstra* that an *Ārya* was not to be kept in the condition of slavery [III. 13].