Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c3: Preface
Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c3
- Language
- English
Preface
c3.1
THE scope of the present work is confined to a statement of governmental theory in post-Vedic Ancient India. Chapter II (Vedic Literature) serves merely as an introduction and is based chiefly on secondary sources. Chapter XI (Theory of the Government of Corporations) is indebted to a few modern scholars who have been amply acknowledged in the text and footnotes. But the primary authorities have been consulted throughout and some of the conclusions differ from those of my predecessors. The rest of the work is based almost entirely on original sources. The quotations are generally taken from standard translations, wherever available, such as those in the Sacred Books of the East, Sacred Books of the Buddhists, Sacred Books of the Hindus, Harvard Oriental Series, Oriental Translation Fund Series.
c3.2
The writer must express his gratitude to his predecessors who first essayed the task of extracting and evaluating Hindu Political Thought and whose labours alone have made subsequent work possible. My particular obligations are due to my tutor Prof. H. J. Laski and other teachers with whom I studied Sociology, Political Science and Public Administration for nearly three years at the London School of Economics and Political Science. To Prof. A. B. Keith I am indebted for a Foreword. Prof. Teresa Joseph of Queen Mary's College, Madras, kindly re-touched the draft of several chapters and made useful suggestions. Prof. A. A. Macdonell and Dr. L. D. Barnett were pleased to favour me with criticism of the earlier chapters. Kṣetreśa Chandra Chaṭṭopādhyāya of the Sanskrit Department, University of Allāhābād, was always ready to solmy difficulties with Sanskrit and Pāli texts. Mr. Lakshmi Lal Joshi, M.A., LL.B., made some useful suggestion. Messrs. Banarasi Prasad Saksena, M.A., and Bisheshar Prasad Srivastava, M.A., of the University History Department sacrificed their time and comfort to see the book through the press. It is only fair to state that the responsibility for the omission of many diacritical signs, particularly in the earlier chapters, and for some misprints and errors rests neither with them nor with the press. They were due mainly to the exigencies of the writer's wandering life. The Index has been compiled by Mr. Rama Shankar Prasad, M.A.
c3.3
This thesis was commenced in 1923, practically completed in 1925, and sent to the press early in 1926. The publication of some valuable articles and books on ancient Indian political life in the meanwhile does not, however, necessitate any modification of the views expressed here.
c3.4
BENI PRASAD.
c3.5
THE THEORY OF GOVERNMENT IN ANCIENT INDIA