Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c11.s3.14

c11.s3.14

Elsewhere he wants that the king should exercise the greatest care in selecting for this office one of his legitimate sons, one of his uncles (younger than himself) or younger brother, older brother's son, an adopted child, a daughter's son, a sister's son, " successively according to failure." The king should carefully refrain from unfairly treating any one of those eligible for the office of heir-apparent. At the same time they must be well-guarded and kept from temptation. If they harbour treasonable designs, they must be carefully "extirpated through tigers or enemies or through craft." The crown-prince must be gentle and kind to his parents and relations and to the people at large. He must obey the king. The other members of the royal family should be assistants and auxiliaries to the king. They should be appointed superintendents of departments, generals in the army or governors of provinces. But a partition of the kingdom must be avoided at all costs.