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The great Manu says to the Rishis (who begged him to
discourse upon the duties of man, etc., for their benefit),
"After discoursing on the duties of the four Classes and the
four Orders, we shall now describe Raaja Dharma
or the duties and qualifications, etc., or Rulers, in other
words, we shall discuss as to who is fit to be a king, how he
is to be selected, and how he can attain the highest bliss
-salvation. Let a Kshatriya (ruler), whose knowledge, culture
and piety are as perfect as those of a Brahman, govern the
country with perfect justice" MANU 7:A1, 2 in the following
way:-
(God teaches), "Let there be for the benefit of the
rulers and the ruled three Assemblies -
1.Religious
2. Legislative
3. Educational
Let each discuss and decide subjects that concern it,
and adorn all men with knowledge, culture, righteousness, independence, and
wealth, and thereby make them happy." RIG VEDA 3:36, 6.
PAGE 162
"Let the three Assemblies, Military Councils, and the
Army hamoniously work together to carry on the government of a
country." ATHARVA VEDA 15:2, 9, 2.
"A king should address the Assembly thus:- Let the
leader of the Assembly abide by the just laws passed by the
Assembly, and let other members do the same." ATHARVA VEDA
19:7, 55, 6.
It means that no single individual should be invested
with absolute power. The king, who is the president of the
Assembly, and the Assembly itself should be inter-dependent on
each other. Both should be controlled by the people, who in
their turn should be governed by the Assembly.
If the system be not followed and the king be
independent of the people and have absolute power, "He would
impoverish the people, - being despotic and hence arrogant -
and oppress them, aye, even eat them up, just as a tiger or
any other carnivorous animal pounces upon a robust animal and
eats it up. A despotic ruler does not let any one else grow in
power, robs the rich, usurps their property by unjust
punishment, and accomplishes his selfish end. One man should,
therefore, never be given despotic power." SHATPATHA BRAAHMAN
12:2, 3, 7, 8.
"O men! Let that man alone among you be made a king -
the President of the Assembly - who is very powerful conqueror
of foes, is never beaten by them, has the capacity to become
the paramount sovereign, is most enlightened, is worthy of
being made a President, who posesses most noble qualities,
accomplishments, character and disposition;
PAGE 163
who is thoroughly worthy of the homage, trust and
respect of all." ATHARVA VEDA 1: 6, 10, 98.
"O ye learned men ! Proclaim that man with one voice
your king - the President and Head of the State - who is just,
impartial, well-educated, cultured and friend of all. In this
way alone shall ye attain universal sovereignity, be greater
than all, manage the affairs of the State, obtain political
eminence, acquire wealth, and rid the world of its enemies."
YAJUR VEDA 9;40.
God teaches in the Veda, "Rulers! Your implements of
warfare, (such as, guns, rifles, bows, arrows, etc.) and
war-materials (such as gun-powder) be worthy of praise, strong
and durable to repel and conquer your enemies. Let your army
be a glorious one, so that you may always be victorious. But
the aforesaid things shall not be attainable to the
contemptible, the despicable, and unjust." RIG VEDA 1: 39, 2.
In other words, it is only as long as men remain
honourable, just and virtuous that they are politically great.
When they become wicked and unjust, they are absolutely
ruined.
Let a nation, therefore, elect the most learned men, as
members of the Educational Assembly, the most devout men, as
members of the Religious Assembly and men of the most
praiseworthy character, as members of the Legislative
Assembly; and let that great man in it, who possess most
excellent qualities, is highly accomplished, and bears most
honourable character, he made the Head or President of the
Political Assembly.
Let the three Assemblies harmoniously work together,
and make good laws, and let all abide by those laws. Let them
all be of one mind in affairs that promote the happiness of
all. All men should subordinate themselves to the laws that
are calculated to promote general well-being; they should be
free inn matters relating to individual well-being.
PAGE 164
QUALIFICATIONS OF THE
HEAD OF THE STATE
"He
should be as powerful as electricity: as dear to his people's
hearts as their very breath, able to read the inmost thoughts
of others, and just in his dealings as a Judge. He should
enlighten people's mind by the spread of knowledge, justice,
and righteousness, and dispel ignorance and injustice as the
sun illuminates the world. He should be like one who consumes
wickedness like fire, keeps the wicked and the criminal under
control like a jailer, gladdens the hearts of the good like
the moon; makes the country rich and prosperous, as a
treasurer keeps his treasury full; is powerful and majestic
like the sun, keeps the people in order and awe; and on whom
no one in the whole world dares to look with a stern eye. He
alone is then fit to be the Head of the State who is like
fire, air, the sun, the moon, a judge, a treasurer, a goaler
in keeping the wicked under control, and like electricity in
power." MANU 7: 4, 6, 7.
THE TRUE
KING
"The
Law alone is the real king, the dispenser of justice, the
disciplinarian. The Law is considered as the surety for the
four Classes and Orders to discharge properly their respective
duties. The Law alone is the true Governor that maintains
order among the people. The Law alone
PAGE 165
is their Protector. The Law keeps awake whilst all the
people are fast asleep. The wise, therefore, look upon the Law
alone as Dharma or Right. When rightly administered the Law
makes all men happy but when administered wrongly, i.e.,
without due regard to the requirement of justice, it ruins the
king. All the four Classes would become corrupt, all order
would come to an end, there would be nothing but chaos and
corruption if the Law were not properly enforced. Where the
Law - which is likened unto a fear-inspiring man, black in
colour and with red eyes - striking fear into the hearts of
the people (evil) and preventing them form committing crimes,
rules supreme, there the people never go astray, and
consequently live in happiness if it be administered by a just
and learned man.
He alone is considered a fit person to administer the
Law by the wise, who invariably speaks the truth, is
thoughtful, highly intellectual and very clever in the
attainment of virtue, wealth and righteous desires. The Law
rightly administered by the king greatly promotes the practice
of virtue, acquisition of wealth and secures the attainment of
the heart-felt desires of his people. But the same Law
destroys the king who is sensual, indolent, crafty,
malevolent, mean and low-minded.
Great is the power and majesty of the Law. It cannot be
administered by a man who is ignorant and unjust. It surely
brings the downfall of the king who deviates from the path of
rectitude.
PAGE 166
The Law can never be justly administered by a man who
is destitute of learning and culture, has no wise and good men
to assist him, and is sunk in sensualism. He alone is fit
administer the Law- which is another name for justice - who is
wise, pure in heart, of truthful character, associates with
the good, conducts himself according to the law and is
assisted by the truly good and great men in the discharge of
his duties." MANU 7: 17, 19,24, 28, 30, 31.
CHIEF
OFFICES
"The
four chief Offices - Commander-in -Chief of the forces, Head
of the Civil Government, Minister of Justice, and the Supreme
Head of all - the King - should be held only by those persons
who are well -versed in all the four Vedas and the Shaastraas,
are conversant with all the sciences and philosophies, devout,
and have perfect control over their desires, passions and
possess a noble character.
Let no man transgress that law which has been passed by
an Assembly of ten men learned and wise, or at the very least
of three such men. This Assembly must consist of members who
are well-versed in the four Vedas, keen logicians, masters of
language, and men conversant with the science of religion,
they must belong to the first three Orders - Brahmacharya,
(celibacy), Grihastha (married life), Vaanaprastha
(renunciation)
Let no man transgress what has been decided by even an
Assembly of three men who are scholars of the Rig Veda, the
Yajur Veda and Saama Veda respectively.
PAGE 167
Even the decision of one Sanyaasi, (wise) who is fully
conversant with all four Vedaas and is superior to all the
twice-born (Dwijaas) should be considered of the highest
authority. But let no man abide by the decision of myriads of
ignorant men.
Even a meeting of thousands of men cannot be designated
an Assembly, if they be destitute of such high virtues as
self-control or truthful character, be ignorant of the Vedas
and be men of no understanding like the Shoodraas.
Let no man abide by the law laid down by men who are
altogether ignorant, and destitute of the knowledge of the
Veda, or whosoever obeys the law propounded by ignorant fools
falls into hundreds of kinds of sin and vice. Therefore, let
not ignorant fools be ever made members of the aforesaid three
Assemblies - Political, Educational and Religious. On the
other hand let learned and devout persons only be elected to
such high offices. MANU 12: 100, 110-111.
QUALIFICATIONS OF
MEMBERS OF THE POLITICAL ASSEMBLY
"Those men alone are fit to fill such high
offices, as of the President or a member of the Political
Assembly, who have learnt the three kinds of knowledge, of
good deeds and their practice, of elevation of mind by
meditation, and contemplation of abstruse subjects, and of
that superior wisdom that results from the first two - from
the scholars of the four Vedas, - the true system of
Government, the science of Logic, the Divine science which
consists of the knowledge of the nature, character and
attributes of God and the arts of elocution and debate. Let
all members and leaders always walk in the path of
PAGE 168
rectitude, keep the senses under perfect control and
keep aloof from sin. Let them always practise yoga, meditate
on God morning evening, for, he who cannot control his mind
and senses - which are subjects of the soul - can never keep
the people under control.
Let a man, therefore, most diligently shun (and help
others to do the same) eighteen vices - vices from which a man
once entangled into them can hardly escape - ten of which
proceed from love of pleasure and eight from anger.
A
kind addicted to vices arising from the love of pleasure loses
his kingdom, wealth and power and even his character. Whilst
one who is addicted to vices arising from anger may even lose
his life. Ten vices proceeding from love of pleasure are:-
1. Hunting. 2. Gaming - playing with dices, gambling, etc.
3. Sleeping by day. 4. Gossiping or talking of sensual
subjects. 5. Excess with women. 6. Use of intoxicants such as
alcohol, opium, canabis indica and its products, etc. 7.
Saying unkind or hard words. 8. Useless wandering about from
place to place.
The vices that proceed from anger are:-
1.
Tale-bearing 2. Violence, such as outraging another man's
wife. 3. Malevolence. 4. Envy, i.e., mortification excited by
the sight of another person's superiority or success. 5.
Detraction from one's character. 6. Expenditure of money,
etc., for sinful purposes. 7. Saying unkind or hard words. 8.
Infliction of punishment without any offence.
Let him assiduously shun self-love that all wise men
hold to be the root of all evils that are born of the love of
pleasure and anger, it is through the love of self that a man
contracts all these vices.
PAGE 169
The use of intoxicants, gaming, excess with women, and
hunting - these four are the most pernicious vices that arise
from the love of pleasure.
Infliction of punishment without offence, the use of
slanderous language, the expenditure of money for unrighteous
purposes - these three are the great vices born of anger that
bring extreme suffering on the possessor thereof.
Out of these seven vices proceeding from the love of
pleasure and anger the one preceding is worse than the one
following. In other words, the use of slanderous language
worse than the abuse of money, punishing the innocent worse
than the use slanderous language. Hunting is worse than
punishing the innocent, excess with women worse than hunting,
and use of intoxicants worse still.
It is certain that it is better to die than to be
addicted to vices, since the longer a wicked man lives, the
more sins he will commit and consequently lower and lower will
he sink and thereby the more will he suffer. Whilst he who is
free from vices enjoys happiness even if he dies."
Therefore, it behoves all men, especially the king, to
keep aloof form hunting, drinking, and other vices, and,
instead, to develop a good character and noble disposition,
and to devote themselves to the practice of virtuous deeds.
MANU 7: 43-53.
PAGE 170
THE QUALIFICATIONS OF
MINISTERS AND MEMBERS OF ASSEMBLIES
"Let a
king appoint seven or eight good, righteous and clever
ministers who are natives of the country, are thoroughly
conversant with the Vedaas and the Shaatraas, are very brave
and courageous, whose judgement seldom errs, who come from a
good family and are well-tried men.
Even an act easy in itself becomes difficult to be
accomplished by a man when single-handed. How much more so
then, is the great work of the government of a country by a
man single-handed. It is, therefore, a most dangerous thing to
make one man a despotic ruler, or entrust a single man with
sole management of the affairs of the State.
Let the Head of State, then, constantly consult with
his clever with his clever and earned ministers on the affairs
of the State, such as:- 1. Peace. 2. War 3. Defense - quietly
protecting his own country against a foreign attack and
waiting for an opportunity. 4. Offence - attacking an enemy
when he finds himself strong enough to do. 5. Proper
management of the internal affairs of the State, the exchequer
and the Army. 6. Pacification of the newly
PAGE 171
conquered countries by freeing them from all kinds of
disturbance. Let him daily reflect on the six subjects.
Having ascertained the individual opinion of each of
his ministers and other members of the Assembly, let him abide
by the decision of the majority and do what is beneficial for
him as well for others.
Let him likewise appoint other ministers who are men of
great integrity, highly intellectual, of resolute minds, of
great organizing power and of vast experience.
Let him appoint good, energetic, strong, and clever
officers, as many as he requires, for the due transaction of
the business of the State. Under them let brave, courageous
strong men of great integrity and of noble lineage fill
position involving great responsibility and risk, whilst let
timid and faint-hearted men be employed for the administration
of internal affairs.
Let him also appoint an Ambassador who comes from a
good family, is very clever, perfectly honest, able to read
the inmost thoughts of others and to foretell future,
developments and events by observing the expression of faces
and other significant signs and acts, and is well-versed in
all the Shaastraas - branches of knowledge.
He alone is fit person to be appointed an Ambassador
who is very much devoted to politics, loves his country with
all his heart, is of irreproachable character, pure in heart,
highly intelligent and endowed with an excellent memory, who
can adapt himself to the manners and customs of different
countries and different times, is good looking, fearless and a
master of elocution." MANU 7: 54-57, 60-62, 64.
DUTIES OF MINISTERS AND
OTHER HIGH OFFICIALS
"The
power to enforce the law should be vested in a minister who
should see that the law is administered justly, treasury and
other affairs of the State should be under the control of the
king, peace and war under that of the Ambassador, and
everything under the control of the
PAGE 172
Assembly. It is the Ambassador alone who can make peace
between enemies, or war between friends. He should so strive
as to divide enemies united against his country.
Thus having learnt the designs of his enemy let a king
- the President of the Assembly (as well as members of the
Assembly, Ambassadors and others) - endeavour to guard himself
against al danger from him.
In a thickly wooded country, where the soil is rich,
let him build himself a town surrounded by a fortress of
earth, or one protected by water, or one surrounded by a thick
wood on all sides, or a fortress of armed men, or one
surrounded by a mountain.
Let him build a wall round the city, because one brave,
well-armed soldier placed inside it is a match for a hundred,
and a hundred for thousands. It is therefore, extremely
necessary to build a fort. Let the for t be well-supplied with
arms and ammunition, with various kinds of grain and other
food stuffs, with conveyances and beasts of burden, etc., with
teachers and preachers, artisans, various kinds of machines,
with grass and grain, etc., for animals, and with water, etc.
In the centre of the town let him build for himself a
Government house, well- protected from wind, etc., suited to
all weathers, with
PAGE 173
well provided parks and gardens round it, and
well-supplied with water. It should be big for all the state
functions.
Having done so far, that is, having completed his
studies in the order of Brahmacharya and settled the affairs
of the State, let him choose a consort of Kshatriya Class,
born of a high family, endowed with beauty and other excellent
qualities, dearest to his heart, blessed with charming
manners, etc., and equal to him in knowledge, acquisitions,
accomplishments and of like temperament. Let him take one wife
and one only, and consider all other women as unapproachable,
therefore let him not even look at another woman (with the eye
of lust).
Let him retain a chaplain and a spiritual teacher to
perform Homa and Yajnas suitable for different season sand
other religious duties for him in the palace, and let him
always devote himself to the business of the State. To devote
himself day and night to the affairs of the State without
allowing anything to go out of order is the highest duty of a
king, aye, this is his worship, this is his communion." MANU
7: 65, 66,68, 70, 74-78.
REVENUE
"Let
the king collect his revenue through honorable, trustworthy
and accomplished men possessed of excellent character. Let
him, who is the President of the Assembly, his ministers and
other officials, and the Assembly observe the eternal
principles taught by the Vedas, and let them act like fathers
to the people.
Let the Assembly appoint officials of various kinds
whose sole duty it should be to see that the State officials
in all departments
PAGE 174
of their duties faithfully according to the
regulations. Leth them, who discharge their duties
satisfactorily, be honored, whilst those who do not, be
punished properly.
In order to disseminate the knowledge of the Veda which
is truly called the imperishable treasure of the kings, let
the king and the Assembly show due respect to students, who
return from their seminaries after having studied the Vedaas
and Shaatraas in the Order of Brahmacharya as well as their
teachers. This helps forward the spread of education and the
progress of a country.
If a king, devoted to the warfare of his people, be
defied by an enemy of equal, greater, or lessstrength, let him
remember the duty of Kshatriya and never shrink from going to
battle. Let him fight with such skill as may ensure his
victory.
Those kings who, with the object of defeating their
enemies, fight fearlessly to their utmost and never turn away
from the field of battle shall obtain happiness. They must
never turn their backs upon the field of battle, but it is
sometime necessary to hide away from the enemy in order to
obtain victory over him. Let them employ all kinds of tactics
to ensure their success in battle, but let them not perish
foolishly like a tiger who, when his temper is rouse, exposes
himself foolishly to the fire and is thereby killed.
In the field of battle let soldiers bear in mind the
duty of men of honor, and, therefore, never strike a man who
is standing near a field of battle - a non-combatant - nor one
who is a eunuch, nor one who with folded palms begs for peace,
nor one whose hair is dishevelled or scattered (over his
eyes), nor one who is sitting at ease, nor one who says 'I am
at your mercy', nor one who is asleep, nor one who is
unconscious or in a fit, nor one who is disarmed, nor one who
is naked, nor one who is a mere spectator, nor one who is only
a camp-follower, nor one who is in agony of pain
PAGE 175
from his wounds, nor one who is an invalid, nor one who
is seriously wounded, nor one who is terrified, nor one who is
running away (from the field of battle).
They should make them prisoners and provide them with
food, drink and other necessaries of life. The wounded should
be medically attended to. They should never be teased or made
to suffer in any way. They should be employed in the kind of
work that suits their station, etc. the king should especially
see that no one strikes a woman, a child, and old man, a
wounded man and one who is diseased or afflicted with sorrow.
Let him protect and bring up their children as if they
were his own daughters or sisters. Nor should he ever look
upon them with the eye of lust. After the country has settled
down, let him send all those, from whom he does not fear a
fresh revolt, away to their own homes; but let him keep in
prison all others who, he fears, may possibly raise the
standard of revolt.
The soldier, who cowardly turns his back on a field of
battle and is slain (by an enemy), is thus rightly punished
for his disloyalty to his master who shall take unto himself
all the honor due to the deceased on account of his past good
conduct which begets happiness in this world and in the next.
The soldier, who is killed whilst running away from the field
of battle, shall never obtain happiness. All his good work is
nullified by this act of cowardice. He alone wins laurels who
fights faithfully.
Let the king never violate this law that carriages,
horses, elephants, tents, umbrellas, grain, silver and gold,
cattle such as cows, women, cases of oil and butter, and
various other articles are lawful
PAGE 176
Prize of the soldier or of the officer who takes them
in war. The captors should give the sixteenth part of their
loot to the king, and so should the latter distribute among
the whole army the sixteenth part of what was taken by them
collectively." MANU 7: 80-82, 87, 89, 91-99.
Let the wife and children have the share of the man who
is killed in war. The wife and children of that man should be
well look after till the children are grown up when the king
should offer them suitable state appointments.
Let no one, who is desirous of augmenting the
prosperity of his State and of gaining fame, victory, and
happiness, transgress this law.
"What the king and the Assembly have not let them
strive hard to get, what they preserved let them augment, and
let them spend the augmented wealth in the diffusion of the
knowledge of the Vedaas, the spread of the principles of true
religion, in helping scholars and preachers of the Vedic
religion, and bringing up orphans. Having learnt the fourfold
object of activity let him shun sloth and live an active life.
Let him obtain what he has not got b the observance of
the law, and what he has acquired let him protect with
diligent attention, what he has protected let him augment by
investing profitably, and let him always spend his augmented
wealth in the furtherance of the aforesaid cause.
Let him on all occasions act without guile and never
without sincerity, but, keeping himself well on his guard let
him discover and ward off the evil designs of his enemy.
PAGE 177
Let him ponder over the acquisition of wealth like a
heron that pretends to be as if in meditative attitude just
before catching fish. Having obtained the necessary material
and augmented his power, let him put forth his strength like a
lion to vanquish his foe; like a tiger let him stealthily
creep towards his enemy and catch him. When a powerful enemy
has come close by, let him run away form him like a hare and
then over take him by strategem.
Let not his foe discover his weak points but the
vulnerable points of his foe let him himself well discern. Let
him hide his vulnerable points form his enemy just as a
tortoise draws in his limbs and keeps them concealed from
view.
Let such a victorious sovereign reduce all dacoits,
robbers and the like to submission by conciliating them, by
giving them presents or by turning them against each other. If
he fails to restrain then by those means let him do so by
infliction heavy punishment on them.
As a farmer separates the husk from the corn without
injuring the latter, so should a king exterminate dacoits and
burglars, and thus protect his people.
The king, who, through neglect of duty and lack of
understanding oppresses his people, soon loses his kingdom and
perishes with his family before his time. MANU 7: 99, 101,
104-107, 110-117, 120-124
PAGE 178
Just as living beings lose their lives through the
failure of their bodily strength, so do kings as well as their
families lose their power, and even their lives by oppressing
their subjects.
Therefore, in order to conduct the government properly
let the king and the assembly so strive as to fully accomplish
this object. The king who is always devoted to the welfare of
his people obtains perpetual happiness.
Let him, therefore, have an administrative office in
the midst of two, three, five and a hundred villages, wherein
he should keep the required number of officials to carry on
government business. Let him appoint an official at the head
of one village, a second one over ten such villages, a third
one over twenty, a fourth one over one hundred villages, and a
fifth one over a thousand such villages.*
Let the Lord (i.e., the administrator) of one town
daily apprise the Lord of Ten Towns privately of all
crimes committed within his jurisdiction and the Lord of
Ten submit his report to the Lord of Twenty. Let
the Lord of Twenty notify all such matters to the
Lord of one hundredevery day and the Lord of one
Hundred, to the Lord of one Thousand, in other
words, five Lords of Twenty, to a Lord of one Hundred, ten
Lords of a Hundred, to a Lord of Ten thousand, and the
Lord of Ten Thousand to an assembly which governs the
affairs of a hundred thousand townships and all such
Assemblies, to the Supreme International Assembly representing
the whole world.
Over every ten thousand villages let him appoint two
presiding officials, one of whom should preside over the
Assembly, whilst the
* In other words, the present system of having a
Surveyor (Patwari) in one village, a branch Police Station for
every ten villages and Head Police Station over two branch
stations, a Tahsil over the five such Police Stations, a
district over ten such Tahsils, and so on, has been borrowed
from our ancient system of Government as taught by Manu.
PAGE 179
othershould tour all over the country and diligently
inspect the work and conduct of all the magistrates and other
officials.
For the purpose of holding the meetings of town
councils let him erect a Town Hall in every big town. It
should be lofty, capacious, and beautiful like the moon,
wherein let the members of the town council, who should be men
of vast learning and experience, deliberate over the affairs
of their town, and make such laws as will promote the welfare
of the people and advance the cause of education and
enlighenment.
Let the inspecting governor have detectives
under him - who should come from Kshatriya (protectors)
as well as other Classes - and through them let him secretly
know perfectly the conduct - good or bad - of the Government
servants as well as that of the people. Let him punish those
who do not faithfully discharge their duties and honor those
who conduct is praiseworthy.
Let the king appoint such men guardians of his people
as are virtuous, well-experienced, learned and of good
lineage; under such learned officials let him also place men
who are very wicked* as burglars and robbers, i.e., who live
by seizing what belongs to others. It will help to keep those
men form the pursuit of their wicked ways, as well as, to
protect the people properly.
Let the king punish properly the magistrate who accepts
bribe ether from the plaintiff or the defendant in a case and,
therefore,
* On the principle that the
best keeper is an old poacher. -Tr.
PAGE 180
gives an just decision, confiscate all his possessions,
and banish him to a place form which he can never return. Were
that man to go unpunished, it would encourage other officials
to commit similar wicked crimes, whilst the infliction of
punishment would serve to check them. But let those officials
be paid handsomely for their services - either by gifts of
land or in lump sums of money, paid annually or monthly -
enough to keep them in comfort and even to make them rich.
Let an old official in consideration of his services be
granted a pension equal to half his pay. This pension must
last only so long as he lives, not after. But let his children
be properly honored or given Government appointments according
to their qualifications. Let his wife and children* be given
an allowance by the State enough for their subsistence which
should be stopped if they turn wicked. Let the king constantly
follow this policy."
TAXES
"Let
the king in conjunction with the Assembly, after full
consideration, so levy taxes in his dominions as to ensure the
happiness of both the rulers and the ruled. Let the king draw
an annual revenue from his people little by little just as the
leech, the suckling calf and the bee take their food** little
by little. Let him not, through extreme covetousness, destroy
the very roots of his own and others, happiness,
since
*Till they are able to earn
their own living.
** i.e., the blood, the milk and the honey
respectively. -Tr.
PAGE 181
he, who cuts off the roots of happiness and temporal
prosperity, brings nothing but misery on himself as well as on
others.
The king who can be both gently and stern as occasion
demands is highly honored if he be gentle to the good and
stern towards the wicked.
Having thus arranged the affairs of the State, let him
devote himself to the protection and welfare of his people
with diligent attention. Know that king as well as his
ministers to be dead, not alive, the lives and property of
those subjects are violently taken away by ruffians whilst
they lament and cry aloud for help. Great shall be his
suffering. Promotion of happiness of their subjects,
therefore, is the highest duty of kings. The king who
discharges this duty faithfully, levies taxes and governs the
country with the help of the Assembly* enjoys happiness, but
he who does otherwise is afflicted with misery and suffering."
MANU 7: 128, 129,139, 140,141-144.
"Let the king rise in the last watch of the night, have
a wash, meditate on God with his whole attention, perform
Homa, pay his respects to the devoutly learned men,
take his meal and enter the audience chamber. Let him standing
there show respect to the people present. Having dismissed
them, let him take counsel with his Prime Minister on state
affairs. Thereafter let him go out for a walk or a ride, seek
the top of a mountain wilderness, where there is not even the
tiniest tree (to hide a person), or a sequestered house and
discuss (state affairs) with him in all sincerity.
* As described in Manu in the
7th Chapter. -Tr.
PAGE 182
"That king, whose profound thoughts other men even
though combined cannot unravel, in other words, whose thought
are deep, pure, centered on public good, and hidden shall rule
the whole earth, even though they be poor. Let him never do
even a single thing without the approval of the Assembly."
MANU 7: 145 - 148.
IN PEACE AND WAR - MILITARY
"The
king and other persons in authority should keep it in view
that it is their duty to adopt after due deliberation one of
the following six measures as occasion demands:-
-
Remaining passive.
-
Marching to action.
-
Making peace with the enemy.
-
Declaring war against wicked enemies.
-
Gaining victory b dividing his forces.
-
Seeking the protection of or alliance with powerful
king when a ruler is weak.
Let the king thoroughly acquaint himself with the
twofold nature of these measures:-
The two kinds of peace
with the enemy are:_
But let
the
PAGE 183
king always go on doing whatever is necessary for the
present or will be required for the future.
War is of two kinds:-
Remaining quiet is of two kinds - firstly, when it is
done when the king's own power is weakened through some cause,
and secondly, when he remains quiet on the advice of his ally.
To divide one's force - rank and file - into two
sections in order to gain victory is called the Division of
the force.
Seeking the protection of or alliance with a powerful
ruler or the advice of a great man in self defense when
threatened by an enemy or when on the offensive is the twofold
Protection or Alliance.
When a king ascertains that by going to war at the
present time he will suffer, whilst by waiting and going to
war at some future time he will certainly gain in power and
vanquish his enemy, let him , then, make peace with him and
patiently wait for that favorable opportunity.
When he finds his people and the army considerable
happy, prosperous and full of spirits and himself the same,
let him then declare war against his foe.
When knows his own troops to be contented, cheerful and
fit - well-fed, well-nourished and well-clothed, etc., - and
those of his enemy the reverse, let him then attack or march
against his foe.
PAGE 184
When he finds his foe much stronger than himself, let
him accomplish his object by doubling or dividing his forces.
When it becomes clear to him that his enemies will soon
march against him, let him then seek speedily the protection
of or alliance with, a just and powerful king.
Let a king serve him who would help him in restoring
order among his people or in keeping his army under control or
his enemy in check, as he would, his teacher - temporal and
spiritual. But if he finds his protector or ally full of evil
designs, let him then fight him to fearlessly.
Let him never be hostile to a king who is just and
virtuous. On the other hand, let him always be on friendly
terms with him. All the aforesaid measures are to be adopted
in order to vanquish a wicked man who is in power. MANU 8: 16
-176
"Let the king who is a true statesman, adopt such
measures that neither his allies, neutral powers, nor his foes
may grow in power or gain any great advantage over him. Let
him thoroughly deliberate over the advantages and
disadvantages of his past actions, his present and future
duties. Then let him strive to ward off evils and promote good
results. That king shall never be vanquished by his enemies
who can foresee the good and evil results likely to follow
from the measures that he would adopt in the future, who acts
according to his convictions in the present without delay and
knows his failings in the past.
PAGE 185
Let a statesman, especially the king, viz., the
President of the Assembly, so endeavor that the power of his
allies, neutral powers and foes may be kept within limits and
not otherwise. Never should he be negligent of this. This
alone is, in brief, true statesmanship." MANU 7:177-180
"Before a king begins his march against his enemy, let
him secure the safety of his dominions, provide himself with
all that is necessary for the expedition, take the necessary
number of troops, carriages and other conveyances, weapons,
fire-arms, etc., and dispatch his spies in all quarters.
Having seen that all the three ways -by land, on water,
and through the air - are clear and well secured, let him
travel on land by means of cars, on foot, on horseback, or on
elephants, on water by boats, and through air by air-ships and
the like, well provide himself with infantry, cavalry,
elephants, cars. Weapons of war, provisions and other
necessary things, and proceed gradually towards the chief city
of the enemy having first given out some reason for his march.
In his conversation let him be well on his guard
against, and keep a strict watch on the movements of a man who
is inwardly a friend of the enemy and privately gives him
information, whilst outwardly keeps with him also on friendly
terms; because he who is inwardly an enemy and outwardly a
friend must be looked upon as the most dangerous foe.
Let the king see that all officers learn the science
and art of war, as well as he himself and other people. It is
only those warriors who
PAGE186
are well -experienced in the art of war that can fight
well on the field of battle. Let them be well-drilled in the
following various dispositions:-
-
Marching troops in file.
-
Marching troops in column.
-
Marching troops in square.*
-
Marching troops at the double.**
-
Marching troops in Echelon.***
-
Advancing in skirmishing order.
Let him extend his troops to the flank form which he
apprehends danger like a lotus flower.
Let him keep his troops with their Commanders on four
sides and himself in the center. Let him place his Generals,
and Commanding Officers with their brave troops in all the
eight directions.**** Let him turn his front towards the
fighting.
He must also have his flanks and rear well-guarded,
otherwise, the enemy may attack him on these positions on
all sides let him station those soldiers who are
well-trained in the art of war, firm in their places like
the pillars of a roof, virtuous, clever in charging and
sustaining a charge, fearless and faithful.
When he has to fight an enemy superior to himself in
numbers, let him then arrange his troops in close formation
or quickly deploy as occasion demands. When he has to fight
his way into a city, a fort or the ranks of his enemy, let
him arrange his troops in various forms of military array,
such as marching them in Echelon or in the form of a
double-edged that cuts both ways; let them fight as well as
advance. Before artillery or musketry fire let him order
his
* Just as boars run after one
another and then form one close formation.
**Just as fish
swim in water.
***Pointed at the end and thicker at the base
- like a needle or a wedge.
**** N,S, E, W &NE, NW, SE,
SW.
PAGE 187
troops to crawl like snakes till they get near the
guns, shoot or capture the gunners and turn those very guns
on the enemy or shoot him with his rifles. Or let him make
old soldiers run on horses before the guns, keep good
soldiers in the middle and thus attack the enemy. Let him
shoot the enemy, scatter his forces, or capture them by a
vigorous assault.
On level ground let him fight on foot, on horseback,
or in cars, on sea in men-of-war, in shallow water on
elephants, among trees and bushes with arrows, and in sandy
places with swords and shields.
When his troops are engaged in fighting, let him
cheer and encourage them. At the close of a battle let him
gladden the hearts of those, who have distinguished
themselves, by making nice speeches, providing them with
everything they need, looking after their comfort, and
helping them in every other way. Let him never engage in a
fight without forming his troops into the necessary array of
battle. Let him always watch the behavior of his troops and
see whether they discharge their duties faithfully or not.
Let him destroy the reservoirs, city walls, the
trenches of his enemy, alarm him by night, and adopt
measures to vanquish him.
PAGE 188
Having conquered his foe let him have a treaty signed
by him. Let him, if necessary, depose him from the throne
and appoint another righteous man from the same dynasty as
king, and have a document signed by him to the effect that
he would carry out his orders, in other-words that he would
adopt a just system of Government, serve his people and
protect them. Let him give him the aforesaid advice and
leave such men with him as would prevent any further
disturbance.
Let him honor his vanquished foe with the gifts of
gems and other valuable presents. Let him not behave so
meanly as to deprive him even of his subsistence. Even if he
were to keep him as his prisoner, let him show him such
respect as may free him from the sorrow consequent on his
defeat and make his life happy; because the seizure of
others' property in this world gives rise to hatred, whilst
the bestowal of gifts on others is the cause of love. Let
him especially do the right thing for him at the right
moment, it is a laudable thing to give the vanquished foe
what is his heart's desire.
Let him never taunt him, nor laugh at him, nor poke
fun at him, not even remind him of his defeat. Instead let
him always show him respect by addressing him as his own
brother." MANU 7:184-192, 194-196, 203, 204.
THE QUALIFICATIONS OF A
FRIEND
"A
king does not gain in power so much by the acquisition of
gold and territory as by securing a friend who is firm,
loving and far-seeing. Such a friend is valuable no matter
whether he is powerful enough to
PAGE 189
help him in the attainment of his wishes or is even
weak. It is laudable for a king to secure a friend- feeble
thought he be - who knows what is right, remembers
gratefully any kindness shown to him, is cheerful in temper,
affectionate and preserving. Let him bear in mind that it is
not proper to make a foe of a man who is eminently wise,
comes from an excellent family, and is brave, courageous,
clever, liberal-minded, grateful, firm, and patient.
Whosover makes such a man his foe is sure to suffer.
He is called neutral (i..e., neither an avowed
friend nor a declared foe) who is possessed of good
qualities, knowledge, of mankind, valor, kindness of heart,
and who never discloses the secret of his heart.
Let the king get up early in the morning, attend to
his toilet, worship God, perform Homa himself or have
it done by his chaplain, consult with his ministers, inspect
and review his troops, cheer their spirits, inspect stables
of horses and elephants, cow houses, etc., stores of arms
and ammunition, hospitals and the treasury, in short,
inspect everything with his own eyes and point out
shortcomings.
Let him then go to the gymnasium, take physical
exercise and, thereafter, in the middle of the day enter his
private apartments to dine with his wife. His food should be
well-tested and be such as will promote health, strength,
energy and intellect. It should consist of various kinds of
eatables, drinks, and sweets, juicy and fragrant dishes as
well as condiments, sauce, etc., that may keep him free from
disease." MANU 7:208-211.
Let him thus promote the welfare of his people.
PAGE 190
RATE OF
TAXES
"Let
the king take from trades-people and artisans one-fiftieth
par of their profits in silver and gold, and one-sixth, one
eight, or one-twelfth of agricultural produce such as rice."
MANU 7: 130.
If he takes it in cash instead of in kind, then too
let him take it in such a way that the farmers and others
would not suffer from poverty or from want of necessaries of
life, such as food, drink, and so on. Because when the
people are rich, healthy and have abundance of necessaries
of life, the king flourishes. Let him therefore make his
subject happy as he would his own children, and let the
people regard the king, his ministers and other officials as
their natural protectors, since it is a fact that the
farmers and other wealth producers are the real source of
kingly power. The king is their guardian. If there were no
subjects whose king would he be? Or on the other hand if
there were no king whose subjects will they be called?
Let both - the rulers and the ruled - be independent
of each other in the performance of their respective duties,
but let them subordinate themselves to each other in all
those matters that require mutual harmony and co-operation.
Let not the rulers go against the voice of the people, nor
let the people and ministers do anything against the wish of
the sovereign.
The political duties of kings have thus been briefly
described. Let those who want to study this subject in
detail consult the four Vedas, the Manu Smriti, the
shukraniti, the Mahaabhaarat and other books. The method of
administering justice may be studied from the eighth and
ninth chapters of Manu, but they are also described below:-
THE ADMINISTRATION
OF JUSTICE
"Let
the king, the Court and the Judges daily decide justly
lawsuits - which are classified under eighteen heads -
according to the laws of the land and the teachings of the
Dharm Shaastraa.* If it be found necessary to undertake
fresh legislation - respect of matters about
which
*Books on the principles of
justice written by Rishis in conformity with the Vedas.-Tr.
PAGE 191
no laws are to be found in the Law books of Rishis -
let such laws be framed as will promote the welfare of the
rulers and the ruled.
These are the following eighteen causes of disputes:-
-
Debt.
-
Deposit - dispute arises when a man deposits an
article with another and is refused its return on
demand.
-
Sale by one person of a thing that is owned by
another.
-
Association of some persons against a particular
individual for a criminal purpose.
-
Refusal to return a loan.
-
Non-payment of inadequate payment of one's
wages.
-
Disputes with regard to sale or
purchase>
-
Disputes between the owner of an animal and the man
who looks after it.
-
Boundary disputes.
-
Assault.
-
Slander.
-
Larceny, burglary, and dacoity.
-
Violence.
-
Adultery
-
Disregard of conjugal duties.
-
Disputes about inheritance.
-
Gambling - with animate as well as inanimate
things. -
Murder.
These are the eighteen causes of disputes among men.
Let the judge observe the eternal law of justice and
decide all these cases of disputes among men justly, without
partiality.
PAGE 192
Where Justice, having been wounded by injustice,
approaches the Court, and no one extracts the dart, shot by
injustice, from the wound,* all the judges who constitute
the bench deserve also to be counted as wounded.
Either a just and virtuous man should not enter an
Assembly ( or a Court of Justice), or, when he does enter
it, should invariably speak the truth. He who looks on
injustice perpetrated before his very eyes and still remains
mute, or says what is false or unjust, is the greatest
sinner.
Where justice is destroyed by injustice and truth by
untruth under the very nose of the Judges who simply look
on, all those who preside over that Court are as if dead,
not one of them is alive. Justice being destroyed shall
destroy the destroyer, Justice being protected shall protect
the protector. Let no man, therefore, violate the laws of
justice, lest justice, being destroyed, destroy him.
He who violates the laws of justice - justice that
gives power and prosperity, and showers happiness like rain
from heaven - is considered as lowest of the low by the
wise. Let no one, therefore, violate the laws of justice.
Justice alone, in this world, is the true friend that
accompanies a man even after death; all other companions
become extinct with the extinction of the body. Justice
never forsakes a man.
*i.e., where the iniquitous
go unpunished and the good, unrewarded and unhonored.
-Tr.
PAGE 193
When justice is perpetrated in a Court of Justice (or
an assembly) by partiality being shown to one party, the
justice is divided into four equal parts. One quarter falls
to the share of the party in the cause, one quarter of his
witnesses, one quarter of all the judges ( or members of the
assembly), and one quarter of the presiding judge (or
President of the Assembly). Where he, who deserves
condemnation, is condemned; he, who is worthy of praise, is
praised; he, who merits punishment, is punished; and he, who
deserves honor, is honored, in that court (or assembly) the
Presiding Judge and other Judges (or the President and the
members of the Assembly) are guiltless and innocent, and the
evil deed recoils on him alone who committed it." MANU 8:
3-8, 12, 113-119.
WITNESSES AND
THEIR APTITUDES, ETC.
"Among all classes those persons alone are
eligible as witnesses who are men of character, learned,
straightforward, who know their duty properly, and are
truthful and free from covetousness. Never should men of
opposite character be considered as eligible to bear
witness.
Let women be witnesses for women, the twice-born for
the twice-born; Shudras for Shudras, and outcasts for
outcasts.
Let the judge never deem it extremely necessary to
examine too strictly, the competence of witnesses in cases
of violence, theft, adultery, the use of abusive language
and assault, all these things being done in the private,
witnesses are not easily available in such cases.
PAGE 194
If there be contradictory evidence let him accept as
true the evidence of the majority; if the conflicting
parties are equal in number, that of those distinguished
witnesses, that of the best among the twice-born, viz.,
sages, seers and Sanyasis - altruistic teachers of humanity.
Two kinds of evidence is admissible:-
A witness who speaks the truth in a court of law
neither deviates from righteousness nor deserves to be
punished, but he, who does otherwise, should be properly
punished.
A witness, who says anything in a court of law or in
an assembly of good men, different form what he had seen or
heard, should have his tongue cut-off. He will consequently
live in misery and pain for the rest of his life and will
have no happiness after death in consequence of having
perjured himself.
PAGE 195
Let only that which a witness declares naturally be
received as evidence, but what he says on being tutored by
others be considered useless for the purposes of evidence by
a judge.
The witnesses being assembled in the court, let the
judge or the counsels in the presence of the plaintiffs and
defendants address them in the following way:-
"O ye witnesses ! Whatever you know with regard to
the matter before us in relation to both parties declare
truthfully, for, your evidence is needed in this case. A
witness who speaks the truth shall hereafter - in future
rebirths - attain to exalted regions and states, and enjoy
happiness; he will obtain glory in this life as well as in
the next, because the power of speech has been declared in
the Vedas as the cause of honor and disgrace. He who
invariably speaks the truth is worthy of honor, while he who
falsifies his speech is disgraced. By truthfulness in speech
is the cause of Justice and Righteousness advanced.
It behoves witnesses of all classes, therefore, to
speak the truth and nothing but the truth. Verily, the soul
itself is its own witness, the soul itself is its own motive
power. O Man! Thou art the chief witness on behalf of others
destroy not the purity of thy own soul; in other words do
thou know what is in they own mind and to which thy speech
corresponds as truth and the reverse as untruth. The wise
consider no man greater than one whose discerning soul feels
no misgivings when he speaks.
O man! If thou desirest to obtain happiness by
uttering a falsehood when thou art alone, thou are mistaken,
for the Supreme spirit that resideth in thy soul seeth
whatever thou doest - good or bad. Fear Him O man! And live
constantly a truthful life." MANU 8: 63, 72, 75, 78-81, 83,
84, 96, 91.
PAGE 196
"Evidence given through covetousness, through love,
through love, through fear, through anger, through ignorance
and through childishness, must be held false. Should a
witness give false evidence from either to these motives,
let fitting punishment be inflicted on him. If a man gives
false evidence through covetousness he shall be fined one
thousand panas* or one pound ten pence, if through
love four shillings three pence, if through fear eight
shillings four pence, if through friendship sixteen
shillings eight pence, if through lust one pound thirteen
shillings four pence, if through anger, three pounds two
shillings six pence, if through ignorance eight shillings,
and if through childishness two shillings one pence.
Punishment may be inflicted, through property, the
penis, the back, the tongue, hands, feet, eyes, ears, noses,
and the whole body. The amount of various punishments ( with
regard to fines) that have been described above or shall be
done hereafter, should vary with the pecuniary circumstances
of the offender:** with the time and place and nature of the
offence, and with the general character and position (social
and the like) of the offender.
The infliction of unjust punishment destroys
reputation and honor -past, present and future - in this
world as well as the glory to come. It causes great misery
and intense suffering even after death; let a judge,
therefore, avoid infliction of unjust punishment.
* A pana is equal to a
farthing. -Tr.
**For instance if he be
poor, let the fine be lighter than the ordinary rate, while
if he be rich, let it be double, triple or even quadruple.
-Tr.
PAGE 197
A king who inflicts punishment on such as deserve it
not, and inflicts punishment on such as deserve it brings
infamy on himself in this life and shall sink to great
depths of misery in the next. Let the guilty, therefore, be
invariably punished, and the innocent never punished.
For the first offence let the offender be punished by
gently admonition, for the second by harsh, reproof, for the
third by a fine, and for the fourth by corporeal
chastisement, such as flogging and caning, or by
imprisonment or death penalty." MANU 8:118-121, 125-129.
"With whatever limb a man commits an offence, even
that limb shall the king remove or destroy in order to set
an example to others and prevent the repetition of the same
crime. Whosoever - be he father; tutor, friend, wife, son,
or spiritual teacher - deviates from the path of duty,
becomes liable to punishment; in other words, when a judge
sits on the seat of justice, let him show partiality to no
one and punish all justly.
Where an ordinary man is fined one penny, a king
shall be fined a thousand, i.e., punishment inflicted on a
king should be a thousand times heavier than that on an
ordinary man, the king's minister eight hundred times, the
official lower than him seven
PAGE 198
hundred, and one still lower, six hundred, and so on;
even the lowest officials such as a constable, should be
punished not less than eight times as heavily as an ordinary
man would be, for if the government officials or servants be
not punished more severely than ordinary people they would
tyrannize over them.
As a lion requires a severer punishment than a goat
to be well-broken, similarly do the rulers (from the highest
officials - the king - to the meanest servant of the State),
require heavier punishment than ordinary people. If a person
possesses the power of discrimination, an yet commit theft,
let his punishment be eight-fold - i.e., eight times the
amount of the theft - if he be a Shudra; sixteen-fold, if a
Vaishaya; thirty-two fold, if a Kshatriya; sixty-four or
hundred-fold, or even a hundred and twenty-eight-fold if he
be a Brahman, i.e., the more knowledge a man possesses and
the greater his reputation and influence, the heavier his
punishment should be.
Let not the king and other persons in authority, who
desire wealth and prosperity, and love justice and
righteousness, delay even for a single moment the punishment
of man who has committed atrocious violence as dacoity,
robbery, etc. A man who commits violence is more wicked and
a more grievous offender than a slander, a thief, who
suffers a man that perpetrates such atrocities to un-
PAGE 199
punished, incurs public displeasure and shall soon
perish. Neither through friendship, nor even at the offer of
immense wealth should a king let a criminal, who commits
violent acts, go unpunished. On a criminal who is a terror
to the people, let the king inflict just punishment, such a
imprisonment or death.
Let him put a man, who is convicted of the murder of
another (but not in self-defense, etc.) to death without a
moment's hesitation, be he his tutor, his child, his father
or some other elderly person, a Brahman, or a great scholar.
He commits no sin who passes the sentence of death on a
criminal convicted of murder and such other highly heinous
crimes whether he be executed publicly or privately. It is
like opposing anger to anger.*
Most excellent is the king in whose realm there is
neither a thief nor an adulterer, nor a slanderer, nor a
perpetrator of atrocious violence such as a dacoit nor a
transgressor of the law." MANU 8:334-338, 344-347, 350, 351,
386.
"Should a wife out of her family pride desert her
husband and misconduct herself, let the king condemn her to
be devoured by dogs before all men and women. Similarly
should a husband forsake his wife and misconduct himself
with other women, let the king cause the sinner to burnt
alive publicly on a red hot iron-bed." MANU 7: 371, 372,
406, 419, 420.
*i.e., fighting the criminal
with his own weapon. -Tr.
PAGE 200
Q.Who shall punish
the king or the queen, the Lord Chief Justice or his wife,
if any one of them commits such wicked crimes a
adultery?*
A.~
The Assembly ( or the court of justice), They should be
punished even more severely than other people.
Q.Why will the king
and other high personages suffer the Assembly (or the court
of justice) to punish them?
A.~
What is a king but a man endowed with virtue and favored by
fortune. Were he to go unpunished, why would others obey the
law? Besides if the people and other persons in authority
and the Assembly would deem it just and necessary to punish
the king, how can be single-handed refuse to suffer
punishment? Were king and other high personages to go free,
the king, ministers, and other men of influence and power
would simply se justice and righteousness at naught, sink
into the depths of injustice and ruin the people as well as
themselves.
Remember ye the teaching of the Vedic text that says
"Verily the just Law alone is the true king , yes, the just
Law is the true religion." Whosoever violates it is lowest
of the low.
Q. How can it be
right to inflict such severe punishments, since man has no
power to make a limb or bring the dead to life
again?
A.~
Whosoever calls it severe punishment is ignorant of the true
principles of Right Government. The infliction of a heavy
punishment on one man prevents others from committing
similar crimes, and tends to keep them steadfast in
righteousness. Truly speaking this so-called heavy
punishment is no heavier than the weight of a mustard seed
when distributed among all the members of a
* According to the Roman Law
which holds sway in the occident at the present time " The
king can do no wrong; and no court is competent to try a
sovereign for all the courts derive their authority from
him. The ancient Aryan Judges derived their authority from
God because they had to administer justice according to
principles sanctioned by the Veda - Divine Law. The king,
therefore, like his meanest subject, was subject to judicial
trials, Unlike modern states the ancient state had means of
legal redress against the sovereign, now the only redress is
rebellion. In this as in so many other respects the ancient
Aryan Sage was ahead of the modern jurists. - (Rama
Deva)
PAGE 201
community, whilst so-called light punishment, by its
failure to check crime, is really a thousand times heavier
than the first, as it is multiplied a thousand times by the
proportional increase of crime. Now take for an illustration
a community of one thousand persons. If every one of them be
punished, say, one pound each, the total punishment will be
one thousand pounds, whilst if one man in this community of
one thousand persons be punished, say, one hundred pounds
and should that punishment succeed in preventing the
repetition of similar crimes, the total punishment will not
be more than a hundred pounds, which is ten times less than
one thousand pounds. Thus the seemingly light punishment in
the long run turns out to be the heavier one.
"Let the king impose toll on all the ships and boats
passing up and down sea-canals ( or bays) and rivers - big
and small - proportionate to the length of the country that
they traverse; at sea no settled duty can be imposed, hence
let him do what best suits the occasion. Let him in such
cases make laws that may prove beneficial both to the state
and the proprietors of ships."*
Let him always protect his subjects, who go to
different foreign lands by means of these ships, wherever
they are. Let them never suffer in any way.
"Let the king daily watch the results of various
measures (adopted for the good of the state, etc.), inspect
elephants, horses and other conveyances, inquire into his
income and expenditure, inspect his mines of precious gems,
and his treasury.
A king who discharges all these duties most
faithfully is freed from all taint of sin, and shall attain
t the Supreme State." MANU 8: 572, 406, 419, 480.
Q. Is the ancient
Aryan system of Government perfect or
imperfect?
A.~
Perfect; because all other systems of Government, that
prevail at present or shall prevail, have and will have for
their basis the Aryan System of Government. The laws that
have not been declared expressly have been provided for by
the text. "Let the Parliament composed of scholars, frame
such laws as are just and beneficial to the rulers and the
ruled."
*Here it must be borne in
mind that those people who say that there were no ships in
ancient times are absolutely in the
wrong.
PAGE 202
Let the king as well as his advisers bear in mind
that early marriage must not, be allowed, nor the marriage
of grown up people without mutual consent. Let the king
encourage the practice of Brahmacharya; let him put a stop
to prostitution and the custom of plurality of wives (as
polygamy, etc.) so that both body and soul may attain
perfect strength and power. For if only mental powers and
knowledge be developed, but not physical strength, one man
of great physical strength may vanquish hundreds of
scholars. On the other hand if physical strength alone be
sought after and not mental, the high duties of Government
can never be rightly discharged.
Without proper training and requisite knowledge and
without the proper discharge of these duties, there can be
no harmony. All will be discord, division, mutual disputes,
quarrels and feuds that ultimately ruin all. Let, therefore,
both mind and body be developed. There is nothing more
prejudicial t the growth of physical and mental powers than
prostitution and excessive sexual indulgence.
Kshatriyaas should, in particular, be physically
strong and possess well developed bodies, because if they be
lascivious, the government of the country is irrevocably
ruined. The proverb "As is the king, so shall the people be"
should never be lost sight of. It, therefore, behoves the
king and other high personages never to misconduct
themselves. Instead, let them always set a good example to
others in the matter of just and righteous living.
Thus have the duties of Ruler been briefly described.
Those, who want to study them I detail, are referred to the
Vedas, the seventh, eight and ninth chapters of Manu, the
Shukraniti, Vidurpprajaagar, Rajadharma, an Apatadharma,
chapters of Shantiparva of the Mahabharata. They should
perfectly master the science and art of government, and rule
one country or Empire or the whole earth. Let all undrstand
"We are the subjects of the Lord of the universe - the king
of kings. He is true king and we are all His humble
servants," (Yajur Veda). May we in this world, through His
mercy, be privileged to occupy kingly and other high offices
and may He make us the means of advancing His eternal
Justice.
END OF CHAPTER 6 |
