Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c8.3

Language: English

c8.3.1

**Territory.** Of these, Kauṭilya duly emphasises the importance of the territorial basis of the State upon which its progress and future so much depend. First of all, Kauṭilya [IX. 1] gives utterance to his innate sense of patriotism and love of country by stating that “of the whole world, the northern part of the country which stretches from the Himalayas up to the seas (*Himavatsamudrāntaramudīchīnaṁ*) is marked out as the natural sphere of imperialism” (*Chakravartikshetram*). Here Kauṭilya is evidently thinking of the empire already established by Chandragupta in northern India by his overthrow of Greek rule in the Punjab, of Nanda empire of Magadha, and his rule over Surāshṭra in western India. This country is rich in its economic resources and potentialities, in its abundance of all varieties of land, cultivated (*grāmya*), uncultivated (*āraṇya*), forests, highlands (*pārvata*), well-watered lands (*audaka*), dry land (*bhauma*), stretches of even land (*sama*), and undulating land (*vishama*), so as to give scope to the growth of every kind of agricultural produce, both wet crops and dry crops. India to this day remains pre-eminently the land of agriculture, with its capacity for economic self-sufficiency depending upon its variety of climates so as to make India an 'epitome of the world.' In another passage [VII.

c8.3.2

1], Kauṭilya approves the country of warriors (*āyudhīyaprāya*), agriculturists, and craftsmen (*śreṇīprāyo*), and protected by forts on hill, or river, or by forest-fastnesses. Kauṭilya, as a man of the Frontier Province, was impressed by its many hill-forts. He also mentions the following essentials of a flourishing country: (1) Fort (2) Agriculture (*Setu*) (3) Roads (4) Mines as source of weapons of war (*saṁgrāmopakaraṇānāṁ yoniḥ*) (5) Timber forests supplying materials for constructing forts, carts, and chariots (*durgakarmaṇāṁ yānarathayoścha*) (6) Forests of Elephants and (7) Pastures for cattle (*vraja*) including Cow, Horse, Ass, and Camel (pointing to the Frontier Province) [VII. 14]. Among other valuable virtues which a country should possess (*janapadasampat*), Kauṭilya mentions them as follows [VI. 1]: It should be fortified in all its parts. It should be capable of supporting not merely the indigenous population but also the immigrants from foreign countries (*ātmadhāraṇaḥ paradhāraṇaścha*). It should be possessed of means of defence, natural, and artificial, such as mountains, forests, rivers and forts (*svārakshaḥ*). It should be economically self-contained (*svājīvaḥ*). It should have a loyal people who would resent foreign invasion (*śatrudveshī*). It should have weak neighbours (*śakya-sāmantaḥ durbala-sāmantaḥ*).

c8.3.3

It should have abundance of agricultural land, being not too marshy, or rocky, or dry, or undulating, or jungly, nor should it be exposed to the depredations of wild tribes (*kaṇṭaka-śreṇī*). It should be *kānta*, i.e. ‘endowed with all works and facilities of public utility and convenience such as provision of shade-giving and fruit-growing trees, gardens of medicinal plants, rivers, lakes, tanks, and resthouses’ (for which Asoka was so famous). It should be further possessed of abundance of fertile lands (*sītā*), mines yielding gold and precious stones (*khanirvajrādimani suvarṇādyākaraḥ*); vegetable gardens and timber forests and also forests of elephants, grazing grounds for cattle (*govyaḥ*), lands for settlements (*paurusheya*), reserves for hunters and foresters (*guptagocharo lubdhakādirakshitabhūmiḥ*) and abundance of livestock (*paśumān*). It should be independent of rainfall in its own supply of waters from its rivers (*adevamātṛikaḥ*). It should be possessed of roads of traffic by water and land. It should be rich in valuable merchandise and manufactures of various kinds (*sāra-chitra-bahu-paṇya*). Its people should be capable of bearing the burden of an adequate army and taxation (*daṇḍakara-sahaḥ*). It should have an industrious agricultural population (*karmasīla-karshaka*), a body of able administrators.

c8.3.4

It should have a vast population belonging to the lower castes or the aboriginal tribes who may aid in the development of its arts and crafts (*avara-varṇa-prāyaḥ adhama-varṇa-bahulaḥ*). It may be noted that Manu welcomes this kind of population in a country to form the artisan classes “whose hand was always pure (*nityaṁ śuddhaḥ kāruka-hastaḥ*) [V. 129].” Lastly, the prosperity and future of a country ultimately must depend upon the quality of its people, its loyalty and character (*bhaktaśuchi-manushya*). No better picture can be given of India than the one given here by Kauṭilya.