WRITTEN by London Swaminathan
Date: 18 April 2018
Time uploaded in London – 21-06 (British Summer Time)
Post No. 4927
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Chanakya, the oldest economist and political thinker in the word, has listed the qualities of a great king. Along with that he has given a time table for a day for a king. Each period is approximately one and half hour. The stateman who created the mighty Magadan empire and the mightiest Magadan army, which created fear in the army of Alexander, has written many books such as Arthasastra and Chanakya Neeti.
Let us look at the Arthasastra where he enumerates the qualities and routine of a king:
One day is divided into two parts Day time and Night time:
Day
1.receiving guards and checking finances
2.attending to the affairs of the city and the country peoples
3.bath, food and study
4.receiving revenue and meeting superintendents
5.despatching writs, meeting council of ministers and hearing secret information
6.favourite entertainment
7.superintending the army in its branches
8.considering military plans with Commander-in- chief; at the end of the day offering the evening prayer.
Night
1.receiving secret emissaries
2.bath, food and study
3.entering the bed chamber amid music
- sleep
5.sleep
6.rising with music and recalling sastric injunction and contemplating on the day’s duty
7.considering administrative measurers and sending out spies
8attending to spiritual matters, physicians, cooks and astrologers etc. entering court.
Qualities of a Hindu King
An ideal king must undergo a broad education in arts and sciences
Conquer his senses
Avoid others wives and properties
Devote himself to the maintenance of Law and Order
Strive diligently for the welfare of the subjects
(AS Chapter 1)
Al Basham, author of The Wonder that was India, says
“The Arthasastra, despite its advocacy of every dishonest expedient for the acquisition and maintenance of power, puts the kingly duties in simple and forceful language, setting an ideal such as few ancient civilizations can boast of.”
In chapter 6 Chanakya alias Kautilya harps on the necessity of an ideal king’s
magnetic personality
intellectual acumen
spirit of enthusiasm
and deep rooted self-possession.
Kautilya elaborates on these qualities:
Born of a high family
godly, possessed of valour
seeing through the medium of aged persons
virtuous and truthful
grateful, having large aims
highly enthusiastic
not addicted to procrastinations
powerful to control his neighbouring kings
of resolute mind
having an assembly of ministers and possessed of a taste for discipline.
source book- Kautilya on Love and Morals, P C Chunder
–subham—
Tamil and Vedas 