DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.53502#0041
Introducion 33
C ,L *■
tioned the three other sciences of Trayi (the three
principal Vedas), Varta (political economy) and
Dandaniti (science of government) on which last the
whole business of the world depends (I, 4). The
existence of a large body of written texts is confirmed
by the manifold rules regarding registration, the word-
ing and mode of writing of royal edicts and letters,
and the nature of written agreements (II, 7-10; III,
1). Some chapters of the second Adhikarana may be
based on special treatises on the subjects of architec-
ture, finances, mining operations, alchemy, revenue,
examination of jewels, shipping, and other questions
of administration and political economy. Generally
speaking we do not know how much in K.’s work may
be due to his predecessors in the field of A., and
whether it is from modesty only or as a captatio bene-
wolentiae that the exploitation of their works is the
only merit he claims for himself (I, 1). This, how-
ever, appears to be certain that his work is the out-
come of a long period of literary activity in the field
of polity rather than the production of a creative
genius, another reason for not fixing its age limit too
high.
The claims which have been put forth in favour
of a much earlier date than the above for the A. are
chiefly or entirely founded upon the name of K. and
upon the verse at the close of the work in which its
author is expressly identified with that man who libe-
rated the earth from the yoke of the Nanda king and
founded the science of polity z. e. K. or Ca^akya.
Now it is perfectly true that Indian tradition as pre-
served in the Puraijas, Nitlsara, Mudraraksasa, Jaina
and Buddhist literature and elsewhere is unanimous in
C ,L *■
tioned the three other sciences of Trayi (the three
principal Vedas), Varta (political economy) and
Dandaniti (science of government) on which last the
whole business of the world depends (I, 4). The
existence of a large body of written texts is confirmed
by the manifold rules regarding registration, the word-
ing and mode of writing of royal edicts and letters,
and the nature of written agreements (II, 7-10; III,
1). Some chapters of the second Adhikarana may be
based on special treatises on the subjects of architec-
ture, finances, mining operations, alchemy, revenue,
examination of jewels, shipping, and other questions
of administration and political economy. Generally
speaking we do not know how much in K.’s work may
be due to his predecessors in the field of A., and
whether it is from modesty only or as a captatio bene-
wolentiae that the exploitation of their works is the
only merit he claims for himself (I, 1). This, how-
ever, appears to be certain that his work is the out-
come of a long period of literary activity in the field
of polity rather than the production of a creative
genius, another reason for not fixing its age limit too
high.
The claims which have been put forth in favour
of a much earlier date than the above for the A. are
chiefly or entirely founded upon the name of K. and
upon the verse at the close of the work in which its
author is expressly identified with that man who libe-
rated the earth from the yoke of the Nanda king and
founded the science of polity z. e. K. or Ca^akya.
Now it is perfectly true that Indian tradition as pre-
served in the Puraijas, Nitlsara, Mudraraksasa, Jaina
and Buddhist literature and elsewhere is unanimous in