The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c14.s9.t7.64

c14.s9.t7.64

The doctrine of *mahārāṣṭradharma* is regional or territorial just as that of *mārāthā titu* is racial or linguistic. As promulgator of the *mahārāṣṭradharma* cult Rāmdās is formally introducing an altogether unknown alphabet into the *artha* or *nīti śāstras* of the Hindus. Not that territorial patriotism as a fact was unknown in Hindu history previous to Rāmdās. Rather, the factual state-systems of the Hindus from the earliest times were sometimes racial but mostly regional or territorial. It is often round race-groups or linguistic nuclei but oftener round territorial units that the political *śaktiyoga* or *parākrama* (energism) of the people manifested itself. But it is questionable if it is possible to cite from the vast mass of *artha*, *nīti* or allied texts any passage which can approach the doctrine of *mahārāṣṭradharma* as a deliberate and consciously designed promulgation of a territorial patriotism.