The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c13.s3.t6.10

c13.s3.t6.10

The king, Someśvara, is himself supposed to be the author of the book. In the colophons at the end of the two chapters we are left in no doubt as to the royal authorship. In verses 9 and 10 also the king is described in so many words as the maker of the treatise. But as the editor of the text points out, the verse 371 introduces a simile in which Someśvara is mentioned by name as the standard of comparison; and we can easily agree with the editor that "no author would be guilty of so flagrant piece of vanity." In other words, the author must be somebody other than Someśvara, say, a scholar at his court. It is interesting that we are landed once more in the Kauṭalya question. The reference to Kauṭalya (*iti Kauṭalyah*) in the Kauṭalyan *Arthaśāstra* must be taken to point to the authorship of somebody other than Kauṭalya (*Supra*, pp. 218, 306, 355).