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THE MEETING OF EAST AND WEST world of the psyche: "end and aim, purpose, object, wish, desire, motive, cause, reason, interest, use, want, and concern"; and as the last member of a compound, -artha: “for the sake of, on behalf of, for, intended for.” The term thus bundles together all the meanings of 1. the object of human pursuit, 2. the means of this pursuit, and 3. the needs and the desire suggesting this pursuit.
There exists in India a special literature on the subject wherein the field of the inquiry is narrowed to the specific area of politics: the politics of the individual in everyday life, and the politics of the gaining, exercise, and maintenance of power and wealth as a king. This art is illustrated by the beast fable-a most remarkable vehicle for the presentation of a realistic philosophy of life. Case histories from the animal realm develop and illuminate a ruthless science of survival, a completely unsentimental craft of prospering in the face of the constant danger that must ever luk in the clandestine and open struggle of beings for life and supremacy. Like all Indian doctrincs, this one is highly specialized and designed to impart a skill. It is not confused or basically modified by moral inhibitions; the techniques are presented chemically purc. The textbooks are dry, witty, merciless, and cynical, reflecting on the human plane the pitiless laws of the animal conflict. Beings devouring cach other, thriving on each other, maintaining themselves against cach other, inspire the patterns of the thought. The basic principles are those of the deep sca; hence the doctrine is named Matsya-nyāya, “The Principle or Law (nyāya) of the Fishes (matsya)"-which is to say, "the big ones eat the little ones." The teaching is also called Arthaśāstra, “The Authoritative Handbook (šāstra) of the Science of Wealth (artha)," wherein are to be found all the timeless laws of politics, economy, diplomacy, and war.
The literature of the subject thus comprises, on the one hand, beast fables, and on the other, systematic and aphoristic treatises. Of the former, the two best known are the Pañcatantra, "The
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