The Maurya Era of Ancient India had given the world an important treatise, Kautilya's Arthashastra. It provides a deep insight into the political polity. Kautilya is known as Indian Machiavelli because of his ruthless and shrewd strategy and policies, including the art of warfare, Showing a state-level approach.
The state of 'Nature' is considered to be one of total anarchy, in which 'what was right'. When people were oppressed by Matsyanaya, the law of the fish, according to which the bigger fish devoured the smaller ones, was chosen by Manu – The Son of the King Vivasvat.
It was decided that the king should get one-sixth of the grain and one-tenth of the gold as his share. It was this revenue that made it possible for the king to ensure the safety and prosperity of his subjects. People agreed to pay taxes and they ruled a person so that they could enjoy welfare and security. In Kautilya's Arthashastra, there is no clear theory of social contract as given below. Neither Kautilya used the contract to make the king powerful.
Even after the information given in the Vedic literature and the early Dharmasutras, we cannot give any definite definition of the state. The reason for this is that till this time the state institution could not get a solid foundation. With the establishment of huge monarchies in northern India, the form of the state was determined. First of all, the correct definition of the state is found in the Arthashastra composed by Kautilya. It recognizes the state as a living unitary governing institution, and represents it in seven Prakritis i.e. organs, Which are as follows-
- Lord (Ruler)
- Amatya (Minister)
- District (Population)
- Durga (Fortified Capital)
- Treasury
- Danda (Army)
- Friends (Colleagues and Friends)
The above mentioned form of the state propounded by Kautilya remained the ideal form for the authors of the Saptang Siddhanta. Synonyms of these parts are also found in some texts. In Vishnu Dharmottara Purana, Sama and Dan are mentioned in place of Swami and Amatya respectively. But only the organs prescribed by Kautilya are considered authentic in history.
Swami (The King) :-
This is the first and most important element. Swami means emperor. Kautilya, while explaining the qualities of the king i.e. the master, has told that he was born in a high family, interested in religion, visionary, truth-speaker, ambitious, tireless hard working, recognizing and respecting virtues, education lover, qualified Consisting of ministers, one should be able to keep the feudal lords under control. He should be brave, the spirit to serve, the desire to acquire knowledge of the scriptures, the power to understand everything. He should be virtuous and he should take care of his subjects like his own children. Kautilya has given wide powers to the emperor, but those powers are for the welfare of his subjects. In the welfare and happiness of his subjects, Kautilya emphasizes on the education of the king, and he believes that the illiterate royal family is destroyed in the same way as the mites of wood Kautilya should rule the king in the classical system. It is considered to be the spindle which gives it motion.
The Swami (The King) is equal to the head. He should be noble, intelligent, courageous, patient, temperate, far-sighted and skilled in the art of warfare.
Amatya (Minister) :-
Amatya (minister) is the eyes of the state. Kautilya has also used this word for ministers, secretaries, administrative and judicial officers. They should be born citizens of their own country, belonging to a high family, of character, capable, skilled in various arts and devoted to masters.
The second nature of the king is amatya and is the real part of the running of the state. It refers to the Council of Ministers as well as auxiliary officers and subordinate staff. They are there to assist the emperor in the daily affairs of the state. Amatya gives suggestions to the king and collects taxes, develops new villages and cities, ensures the defense of the kingdom and all other tasks assigned by the king. The king should appoint Amatya very carefully. For the convenience of governance, the central administration was divided into several departments. Each department was called a 'tirtha'. Kautilya has mentioned the principal officers of the following 18 pilgrimages –
1. Minister 2. Purohit 3. Commander 4. Yuvraj 5. Dauvarik 6. Antrvishka 7. Prashasta 8. Collector 9. Sannidhata 10. Pradeshta 11. Nayak 12. Paur 13. Karmantik 14. Councilor of Minister 15. Dandpal 16. Durgpal 17. Antpal 18. Ativaahika.
Durg (Fort) :-
The fort (fort) are the arms of the state, whose function is to protect the state. The king should get such forts built, which are beneficial for aggressive warfare and from a defensive point of view. Kautilya has described four types of forts – Audic (water) fort, Parvat (hill) fort, Vanadurga (wild) and Dhanvan (desert) fort.
It refers to forts. The state should have a sufficient number of forts at strategic places to ensure its defense against foreign invasions. Forts should be built near hills/mountains, deserts, dense forests and large water bodies. They gather troops, store food grains for emergencies and also act as a hideout for the king when his life is in danger. Kautilya has given the variable types of fort which are as follows –
- 'Aushak' fort - This fort is surrounded by water on all four sides and is like an island in the middle of the fort.
- 'Parvat' fort - This type of fort is surrounded by mountain ranges, rocks etc. It is like a dark cave.
- 'Dhanvan' fort - This fort is built right in the desert. There is not even a trace of water, grass, trees etc. around him.
- 'Van' fort - The special feature of this fort is that there is a group of swamps or thorny bushes around it.
In these forts, 'Audak' and 'Parvat' are helpful in protecting the district in times of crisis. In the 'Dhanvan' and 'Van' class, those who protect the forests protect themselves and the king also protects himself in times of adversity.
Treasury:-
It means state treasury. , In order to fulfill the necessary tasks for the benefit of the people, to keep the army to protect them and to arrange the city etc., the state fund is needed. Finance is the life blood of any state without which it is almost impossible to run. Money is needed to pay salaries, build new infrastructure, etc. The treasury should be full of wealth and valuable metals and gems. This can be increased through taxation and plundering of enemy states in war. This fund will be useful to the king in times of crisis and in times of peace.
The kosha (treasury) is like the mouth of a king. The fund is considered to be the most important element of the state, because money is needed in the running of the state and in times of war. The fund should be so abundant as to be helpful in facing any adversity. Kautilya has given many measures to increase wealth in the fund. He also advises the king to adopt unfair methods to get revenue in times of crisis.
Punishment :-
Dand (force, danda or army) is the brain of the state. Force or army is an essential element to control the subjects and the enemy. Kautilya has given six types of army. Like-hereditary army, soldiers appointed on salary or hired, soldiers of military corporations, soldiers of friendly state, soldiers of enemy state and tribal soldiers. Vaishyas and Shudras can also be recruited in the army in times of crisis. Soldiers should be patient, efficient, war-skilled and patriotic. The king should also take care of the comforts of the soldiers. Kautilya has given four goals of Dandniti - to get the unattainable thing, to protect the thing obtained, to promote the protected thing and to distribute the important thing in proper vessels.
The king would keep a well organized powerful army to protect the state. It refers to the army. The state should have a regular, large, disciplined and well trained army. This is important for the security of the state. Soldiers should be recruited from families that are traditionally associated with the military. Soldiers should be paid well and their families should be looked after in the most appropriate manner. Appropriate training and equipment should be provided. Well fed and well trained soldiers can win any battle. The king should take care of the soldiers and the soldiers will also be ready to sacrifice their lives for him.
Mitra (colleague and friend) :-
Kautilya has described the last quality of the nature of the state as friend. It refers to the friends of the king. The emperor should maintain friendly relations with the traditional friends of his ancestors. He should also make new friends. He should send gifts and other joys to his friends. They should be helped in times of emergency. They should be loyal. Friends add to the power of the state. They are also important from the point of view of foreign trade.
The Sweetheart (friend) is the ear of the kingdom. The king's friends help him both in peace and in war. In this regard, Kautilya distinguishes between Sahaj (ideal) and artificial friend. An intuitive friend is better than an artificial friend. The king whose friends are greedy, greedy and cowardly, his destruction is inevitable.
Thus Kautilya's Saptang Siddhanta sheds light on the important role of all the organs (elements) while representing the organic form of the state. Although this theory does not match with the modern definition of the state, but in Kautilya's state all the four elements of the modern state are present. Janpad is land and population, Amatya is the sense of government and Swami (King) is the symbol of sovereignty. The importance of the fund is in the administration, development and promotion and the army is necessary for internal peace and external security. Friends play an important role in foreign affairs, but the place of fort has been taken by other devices of defense and defense in the modern era.
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