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elements. But following the footsteps of Harisena, he has not given the full life-account of Caṇakya in a detailed manner.
[7] The Commentary on Mūlācāra was written by Vasunandi (? Vasudevanandi) in the 11th century A.D. While commenting upon gāthā 257, he had written a lot about ‘laukika' texts of heretics which are based on misconceptions and preach violence.
He criticizes Kautilya alias Caṇakya in the following mannerकोडिल्ल-कुटिलस्य भावः कौटिल्यं तदेव प्रयोजनं यस्य धर्मस्य सः कौटिल्यधर्मः ठकादिव्यवहारो लोकप्रतारणाशीलो धर्मः परलोकाद्यभावप्रतिपादनपरो व्यवहारः । आसुरक्खा-असवः प्राणास्तेषां छेदनभेदनताडनत्रासनोत्पाटनमारणादिप्रपंचेन वञ्चनादिरूपेण वा रक्षा यस्मिन् धर्मे स आसुरक्षो धर्मो नगराद्यारक्षिकोपायभूतः । अथवा कौटिल्यधर्मः, इंद्रजालादिकं पुत्रबन्धुमित्र पितृमातृस्वाम्यादिघातनोपदेशः चाणक्योद्भव आसुरक्षः मद्यमांसखादनाद्युपदेशः । इत्येवमादिका असद्धर्मप्रतिपादनपरा ये धर्मारतेषु या भवेद्विश्रुतिर्विपरिणामः एतेपि धर्मा इत्येवं मूढो लौकिकमूढो भवत्येष इति ।।
This passage can be summarized thus -
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9
"Absense of straightforwardness is the nature of Kautilya. The science of administration is written by him and is called kauṭilyadharma. In this popular science, established rules and practices of cheats and swindlers are mentioned. Here, the inclination towards cheating the people is obvious. This heretic text proclaims the absence of life beyond the present life. 'Asurakkha' is that in which the people and other beings are beaten, killed and tormented by using deceitful means for the sake of well-being of one's own. Or ‘āsurakso dharmo' can be explained as the means or devices used by the so called protectors of the town, village etc. Or we can explain kauṭilyadharma in which jugglery and tricks are employed to slaughter one's own sons, relatives, friends, father, mother or even master. What type of 'āsurakṣa' is given by Cāṇakya ? He preached us to eat flesh
