Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c13.15

c13.15

on his stage but his plays are not political. Not even the Abhiṣekanāṭaka fulfils the expectations raised by its title and its plot which begins with the conflict of Rāma's ally, the monkey Sugriva, with his brother Bāli and ends with the fall of the demon Rāvaṇa. Another piece, the Chārudatta, which probably supplied the plot to Śūdraka's Mṛichchhakaṭikā, is no better from the political point of view, though it throws interesting side-lights on the manners of those days. In Avimāraka, Kauñjāyana, one of the two ministers of king Kuntibhoja, laments the sad plight of those fools whom vanity prompts to accept the office of ministers. If their projects are successful, the glory falls to the strength of the sovereign. But if they fail, they are denounced for incompetence.¹ Shortly after, the minister wants the king to honour the envoy of the Benares sovereign. The king exclaims that the ministerial mind looks only to business, not to affection. When called in, he feels how heavy is the burden of the crown. Dharma or the law must be considered at first. The working of the minister's mind must be followed intelligently. The king must conceal his passions--desires and anger. A policy of mercy or sternness must be (determined and) followed as the juncture of events requires. Through spies--eyes of the king--the doings of the people must be perceived; so, too, the maṇḍala of neighbouring kings must be watched. The king must carefully guard his own person and yet expose it on the field of battle.² In the second act, the hero Avimāraka incidentally remarks that according to the injunction of Śāstras one should hold consultation with two (councillors).³ In a single-act play Dūtavākyam where the plot consists of Kṛṣṇa’s futile mission to Duryodhana on the eve of the Great Civil War, sovereignty appears in all its pride. Duryodhana scoffs at the idea of reconciliation. Princes enjoy dominion after defeating their enemies. Dominion is not to be begged in this world. Nor is it to be bestowed on the helpless.¹ The Pratijñāyaugandharāyaṇaṃ enshrines a beautiful picture of ministerial loyalty. Apart from these and similar unimportant political touches, it is clear that Bhāsa upholds the Brahmanic order of things and recognises the supremacy of Brāhmaṇas. In another single-act play, called Madhyamavyāyoga, based on a Mahābhārata incident, Bhimasena, proud of his Kṣatriya origin, feels that a Brāhmaṇa deserves the highest worship and is ready to sacrifice himself for his safety.² His inspiration throughout is that of the epics and his general conception of government is that of a virile, vigorous, righteous despotism.