IN

ANCIENT HINDU POLITY

(BASED ON THE ARTHASÁSTRA

OF KAUȚIL YA)

VOL. I.

BY

NARENDRA NATH LAW, M.A., B.L.

WITH AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY

ON THE AGE AND AUTHENTICITY OF THE ARTHASÂSTRA

OF KAUTILYA

BY PROF. RADHAKUMUD MOOKERJI, M.A.
PREMCHAND ROYCHAND SCHOLAR, author of "A HISTORY OF INDIAN SHIPPING," etc.

LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO.
39, PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON, E.C.

NEW YORK, BOMBAY AND CALCUTTA
1914

Vol. IV. DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY AND AFTER.

35985

ΤΟ

MY FATHER

THE HON. RAJA RESHEE CASE LAW, C.I.E.

THIS SMALL TRIBUTE

OF

GREAT AFFECTION

PREFACE

IN the present work an attempt is made to describe some of the features and activities of the civil government of the ancient Hindus, as outlined in the Arthasâstra of Kautilya. Such an attempt will, I trust, be useful in throwing some light on the secular and practical achievements of the ancient Hindus, as distinguished from the spiritual and intellectual, which latter are more widely studied and appreciated than the former.

I am, however, painfully conscious of the difficulties with which the subject is beset. The quaint and terse language of Kautilya, combined with the technical terms used by him, adds much to the difficulties. The Commentary of Bhattasvâmi is fragmentary and confined only to a portion of the Second