The Political Institutions and Theories of the Hindus: A Study in Comparative Politics c16.s2.t1.6

c16.s2.t1.6

This doctrine of *mandala*, underlying as it does the Hindu idea of the "balance of power," pervades the entire speculation on the subject of international relations. It is hinted at by Śukra² and referred to by Manu.³ Kâmandaka⁴ has devoted a whole chapter to the topic. It has been exhaustively treated by Kautilya.⁵ We are not concerned here with the doctrine as such; we shall only study it in its bearing on the theory of sovereignty.