The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c11.s8.9

c11.s8.9

Even if in the last analysis Kauṭalya should turn out to be a contemporary of Kālidāsa (fourth-fifth century A.C.) and a citizen of the Gupta Empire the Maurya milieu of the *Arthaśāstra* cannot be negatived by any means. We ought never to overlook the fact that the author or editor of this treatise commences his work by saying categorically that he prepared it by condensing "almost all" the *Arthaśāstras* that had been composed by "old masters." One does not know how much or how little of originality is to be ascribed to the Kauṭalyan summary or compilation. But it is reasonable to believe that plenty of data bearing on olden times,—Maurya, pre-Maurya and what not,—are to be discovered in this work.