Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c11.s2.t1.8

c11.s2.t1.8

The Uttara Purāṇa, as the composition of Guṇabhadrācārya is called, gives biographical sketches of the twenty-three Tirthakaras who followed Ṛiṣabha at long intervals of time and of Rāma, Kṛiṣṇa, Śreṇika, Jīvandhara and numerous other Jaina heroes. Besides suzerain princes, hundreds of feudatories appear in its pages. It inculcates profuse patronage of learning by the government but its political ideas are few and old.² Another work, Harivaṁśa Purāṇa, ascribes the foundation of all institutions to Ṛiṣabha. The Padma Purāṇa adds nothing new. In the 12th century Hemachandra reiterated the theory of Jinasena in his Laghu Arhannīti. He deals with the duties and qualifications of the king and ministers, the policy they ought to pursue, the judicial system they ought to establish, and so on. The Laghu Arhannīti draws freely upon its Brahmanical predecessors. The Jaina Rāmāyaṇa by Hemachandrācārya gives a long Jaina version of Rāma's story but does not modify the political ideas imbedded in Vālmīki.³ Nor is Mahāsenācārya's Pradyumna Charita more valuable. It merely reproduces the traditional ideas on government.⁴ In a work of the 12th century A.D., Lomaprabhâchârya’s Kumârapâla Prabodha, a king is gradually converted to Jainism and led into an ideal manner of life and government by Hemachandra. From what he does appears the author’s idea of what a government ought to do. The king interdicted meat-eating, animal slaughter, drinking, prostitution, plundering and other sins. He erected Jaina temples, monasteries and alms-houses. He spent a good deal of his time in religious exercises but still attended to the business of the state, heard appeals and passed judgment on them.¹ It is interesting that the Jainas have their Purâṇas which betray deep Brâhmaṇic influence. Some of them are modelled on the Ādi Purâṇa and echo its doctrines but few of them make any fresh contribution to political thought.