Buy arthashastra book online at low prices in india. Kautilya quotes author of the arthashastra goodreads. The arthashastra, published in 2000 by penguin classics is the english edition of the classic treatise on classical economics and political science by the ancient indian philosopher kautilya. This book is one of the most effective books ever written on the art of statecraft and the science of everyday living. Arthasastra is an ancient indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy, written in sanskrit. Manipulating public opinion was an effective way to create the environment of disharmony and distrust in the enemy kingdom, illwill among their allies, dissatisfaction. There are on the whole 15 books, 150 chapters, 180 sections and 6,000 slokas. Arthasastra is an ancient indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy which identifies its author by the names kautilya 1 and vi.
This brought more wealth to the kingdom, allowing the king to raise more armies and conquer more territory with the ultimate goal of conquering the world. Concerning a powerful enemy, book xii of arthashastra, makes a mention of those secret methods with which the king could collect information regarding the strength of the powerful king and his resources. The author then focuses his attention to the royal treasury. This arthasastra is made as a compendium of almost all the arthasastras, which, in view of acquisition and maintenance of the earth, have been composed by ancient teachers. Elaborate is an apt description, given that the treatise describes all sorts of weird and wonderful ways in which seditious ministers can be identified, and enemies can be toppled and. Chanakya arthashastra greatest book on spying and secret agenies. The arthashastra is written mainly in prose but also incorporates 380 shlokas. The arthashastra summary a treatise on statecraft and. That my enemy, possessed as he is of immense power. Introductory note nothing vindicates belief better than reality. It is commonly believed that the author of the art of war, written by sun tsu.
It includes books on the nature of government, law, civil and criminal court systems, ethics, economics, markets and trade, the methods for screening ministers, diplomacy, theories on war, nature of peace, and the duties. See kangle, the kautiliya arthasastra, part 2, 516. Arthashastra of chanakya english translation posted on november 2, 2009 by bharateeya the arthashastra is an ancient indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military trategy authored by chanakya 350283 bce. A king who is equal to his enemy in the matter of his sovereign elements shall, in virtue of his own righteous conduct or with the help of those who are hostile or conspiring against his enemy, endeavor to throw his enemys power into the shade. The title arthashastra is often translated to the science of politics, but the book arthashastra has a broader scope. However, book vi of arthashastra briefly mentions the fort once again. Trautmann in his recently published book, arthashastrathe science of wealth.
How kautilyas arthashastra shaped the telling of ancient indian history. Arthashastra, ramayana and mahabharata recommend the proper use of coded language and signals. The king, the minister, the country, the fort, the treasury, the army and the friend are the elements of sovereignty. Jan 07, riku sayuj rated it it was amazing shelves. This arthasastra is made as a compendium of almost all the.
Jun 25, 2019 arthashastra and state we should never forget that the arthashastra means by the state an order of society which is not created by the king or the people, but which they exist to secure. When the conqueror is desirous of seizing an enemys village, he should infuse enthusiastic spirit among his own men and frighten his enemys people by giving publicity to his power of omniscience and close association with gods. Dr rudrapatna shamasastrys 1915 translation of kautilyas arthashastra has long been available online. This was and is a book of reference for administrative strategies. It is a book detailing how to manage a kingdom, or basically it deals with the art of government and politics. This edition is dated to approximately 250 ce, many centuries after the time of kautilya, but the main ideas in this book are largely his. The arthashastra is an indian book or a treatise that details the right qualities of a good king and how to achieve this state. As per the treatise, a good treasury should be in a position to support all the expenses of the kingdom. Chanakya assisted the first mauryan emperor chandragupta in his rise to power. Ahasan uddin bhuiyan department of public administration university of dhaka department of public administration univrsity of dhaka. Book xiii, strategic means to capture a fortress chapter i. It explains how a king can attack an enemy fort and when fire brands should be.
A master stategist who was wellversed in the vedas and adept at creating intrigues and devising political stratagems, kautilya was the man who destroyed the nanda dynasty and installed. The acorn will attempt to publish excerpts each weekendfor discovery, for learning and for enjoyment we start with chapter ix on agreements for the acquisition of a friend or gold of book vii the end of the six. Mar 04, 2018 the arthashastra summary the western world generally assumes that ancient indian literature lacked in strategic thinking. He authored chanakya neeti, and arthashastra a political treatise. It explains how a king can attack an enemy fort and when fire brands should be used in an attack, and so on. He is considered the author of the arthashastra, meaning a texts on wealth. Kautilya wrote about the way the states economy is organized, how ministers should be chosen, how war should be conducted, and how taxation should be arranged and distributed. Arthashastra the oldest book of management in the world. The arthashastra was a book compiled to educate south asian leaders on statecraftthe practice of running a government. Buy arthashastra book online at low prices in india arthashastra. Mar 31, 2016 the whole book is just a list of dos and donts for a king. This is just a rule book or administrationpolice manual. Arthashastrabook vi wikisource, the free online library.
The first chapter of the first book is an ancient table of contents, while the last chapter of the. The arthashastra is divided into 15 books, 150 chapters, 180 sections and 6,000 slokas. Secret means, book xiv of arthashastra, mainly talks of the secret efforts of the conqueror to save his kingdom from the enemy. The arthashastra is the title of a handbook for running an empire, written. The whole book is just a list of dos and donts for a king. Kautilya, also known as chanakya and vishnugupta, wrote the arthashastra in the second century ad though the date has not been conclusively established. Buy arthashastra book online at best prices in india on.
However, if we carefully examine some of the literature after the second urbanisation emergence of the janapads of the subcontinent we find a lot of material which tells us that ancient indian writers were not devoid of the capability of writing treatises on. The arthashastra is often credited to kautilya, a scholar and an advisor for the mauryan dynasty. The text of this great book includes 15 books, each addressing one topic pertaining to the state and its economy. Arthashastrabook xiii wikisource, the free online library. He who causes a kshatriya to do the same shall be punished with the middlemost amercement. This arthasastra is made as a compendium of almost all thearthasastras, which, in view of acquisition and maintenance of theearth, have been composed by ancient teachers. On a site declared to be the best according to the science of buildings, the leader nayaka, the carpenter vardhaki, and the astrologer mauhurtika should measure a circular, rectangular, or square spot for the camp which should, in accordance with the available space, consist of four gates, six roads, and nine. Arthashastra is one of the oldest books with immense historical significance written by kautilya or arya chanakya as he was popularly known. Shamasastry the arthashastra is an ancient indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military trategy authored by chanakya 350283 bce.
Buy kautilyas arthashastra book online at low prices in. But his credit as the author and even his very existence are very much debated. Amicus meus, inimicus inimici mei my friend, the enemy of my enemy was a common saying by the early 18 th century, when it appeared in books otherwise written in. Kautilyas arthasastra and sunzus san shi lui ji 36 stratagems.
Kautilyas arthashastra by kautilyas arthashastra, paperback. Such a writer, having attentively listened to the kings order. Kautilyas arthasastra on war and diplomacy in ancient india roger boesche. Nazmul ahsan kalimullah professor, department of public administration university of dhaka submitted by. Chanakya was the author of 2 famous books arthashastra arthafinance, money, shastrascience, arthashastra was the science of economy. Historically, the kautilyas work carries a great significance because it is an important source for the history of mauryas. Aug 27, 2016 chanakya assisted the first mauryan emperor chandragupta in his rise to power. It lists the fines that were levied for cattle theft to crimes against women to incest, and so on. Arthashastra is an excellent treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy. Wendy doniger revisits kamasutra, arthashastra in new book wendy donigers new book is titled, beyond dharma. Likely to be the work of several authors over centuries, kautilya, also identified as vishnugupta and chanakya, is traditionally credited as the author of the text.
The king who is situated anywhere immediately on the circumference of the. The arrow shot by the archer may or may not kill a single person. Arthashastra of chanakya english translation sanskrit. The book was discovered by shamasastri in 1909 who also translated and introduced it to the public. But stratagems devised by wise men can kill even babes in the womb. Shamasastry, 1915 book i, concerning discipline book ii,the duties of government superintendents book iii, concerning law book iv, the removal of thorns book v, the conduct of courtiers book vi, the source of sovereign states. The rediscovery of indian realismstarting a new series. The political science outlined in the arthashastra was aimed entirely at conquering ones enemy and his territory. Kautilyas arthasastra was one of the greatest political books of the ancient world.
This was written in 150 ce, as advice to a king on how to run his kingdom. Book is concerned with the conquest of the enemy s fortified capital and how. Sep 09, 2019 the arthashastra of kautilya or chanakya. It is very likely that portions of it were written to guide the emperors of the mauryan empire, the first empire to be created in india, in the fourth century bce. Book vi, the source of sovereign states, kautilya writes. Arthashastra the arthashastra discusses monetary and fiscal policies, welfare,international relations, and war strategies in detail. Jan 06, 2012 kautilyas arthashastra book i, concerning discipline chapter i. It is commonly believed that the author of the art of war, written by sun tsu, was the initial creator of that phrase. Kautilyas artha shastra on war and diplomacy in ancient india.
The arthashastra is an ancient indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy, written in sanskrit. Arthashastrabook x wikisource, the free online library. However, it must be remembered that the mahabhashya is a book on grammar and only refers to historical personalities and events incidentally, in order to illustrate grammatical rules and megasthenes indica only survives in fragments paraphrased in the writings of later authors. The qualification of a best suited fort for the king has been described in book two of arthashastra.
Comparative study between arthasastra and san shi liu ji. The arthashastra is an ancient indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military trategy authored by chanakya 350283 bce. This book is a definitive introduction to the classic text, the arthashastra, the worlds first manual on political economy. Every neighbouring state is an enemy and the enemys enemy is a friend. Dec 28, 2009 buy kautilyas arthashastra book online at best prices in india on. Book iv, chapter, punishment for violating justice he who causes a brahman to partake of whatever food or drink is prohibited shall be punished with the highest amercement. Sources of a sovereign state, book vi of arthashastra. Kautilya the indian machiavelli wrote about the idea in the sanskrit military book, the arthashastra.
Arthashastrabook xii wikisource, the free online library. A copy of the arthashastra in sanskrit, written on palm leaves, was presented by a tamil brahmin from tanjore to the newly opened mysore oriental library headed by benjamin lewis rice. I concerning discipline ii the duties of government superintendents iii concerning law iv the removal of thorns v the conduct of courtiers vi the source of sovereign states vii the end of the sixfold policy viii concerning vices and calamities ix the work of an. The author of the arthashastra is concerned with the rulers central control of a realm of fairly limited size. The arthashastra summarizes the political thoughts of kautilya.
Dissent in the ancient indian sciences of sex and politics, published in india by. Who originally said, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The earliest known expression of this concept is found in a sanskrit treatise on statecraft, the arthashastra, which dates to around the 4th century bc, while the first recorded use of the current english version came in 1884. Books of arthashashtra arthashastra is divided into 15 books. An extraordinary detailed manual on statecraft and the science of living by one of classical indias greatest minds, kautilya, also known as chanakya and vishnugupta, wrote the arthashastra not later than 150 ad though the date has not been conclusively established. The arthashastra of kautilya is one of the most impressive books that i have read in the recent years. He is widely credited for having played an important role in the establishment of the maurya empire.
Kautilyas arthasastra, composed around 321 bce, is the oldest and most exhaustive treatise on statecraft and on issues of diplomacy, war, peace, intelligence, security, and political economy. The objection that the arthashastra was the work of a scholar. Kautilyas arthashastra book i, concerning discipline chapter i. Delving on the absence of a comparative study between san shi liuji and arthasastra, the author blames lack of interest among political scientists and strategic experts to.
The treatise discusses monetary and fiscal policies, welfare, international relations, and war strategies in detail. He is widely credited for having played an important role in the. The author of arthashastra uses the term gramakuta to describe a village official or chief, which, according to thomas burrow, suggests that he was a native of the region that encompasses presentday gujarat and northern maharashtra. It is encyclopedic, discussing topics you would find in machiavelli, sun tzu, and maybe a business class run by xaviera hollander it sets the prices to be paid for the purchase of a courtesan, for example. This book was lost for many centuries until a copy of it, written on palm leaves, was rediscovered in india in 1904 ce. Charlie higsons new novel the enemy available 31st august 2009 from penguin books australia. Chanakya, also known as kautilya or vishnugupta, was an adviser and a prime minister to the first maurya emperor chandragupta, and architect of his rise to power. Every neighboring state is an enemy and the enemy s enemy is a friend. The arthashastra is written mainly in prose but also incorporates 380 shlokas, which adds a vital poetic flourish to this otherwise downtoearth classic. The author of arthashastra uses the term gramakuta to describe a village official or. Chanakya arthashastragreatest book on spying and secret. The science of good governance the arthashastra is the most comprehensive treatise of statecraft of classical times, and perhaps of all time. Arthashastra of chanakya english translation sanskrit ebooks.
The adventures of chanakya and chandragupta are told in a cycle of tales preserved in hindu, buddhist and jain books. The enemy of my enemy is my friend is an ancient proverb which suggests that two opposing parties can or should work together against a common enemy. The text was considered lost by colonial era scholars, until a manuscript was discovered in 1905. How kautilyas arthashastra shaped the telling of ancient. Two thousand four hundred years ago, kautilya compiled the arthashastra and with it he proved to be a kingmaker as he enabled the inception of the gupta dynasty. Shamasastry, 1915 book i, concerning discipline book ii, the duties of government superintendents. Chanakya was a great teacher of takshashila university, who taught chandragupta and made him the first emperor of india. The arthashastra is one of the earliest works of political realism to have been written, along with sun tzus the art of war and thucydides history of the peloponnesian war and is perhaps the most elaborate of these. Kautilyas arthashastra maintains that the state or government of a country has a vital role to play in maintaining the material status of both the nation and its people. Wendy doniger revisits kamasutra, arthashastra in new book. Kautilyas arthashastra 3 book i, concerning discipline chapter i. Thank you, my friend, for asking me to reply to your question.
16 905 754 1255 276 1068 708 656 1014 924 58 952 737 256 1220 294 360 1150 631 671 226 1033 1142 1459 1216 1194 1371 194 965 470 415 1286 203