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26
A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
because of the king's vindictive attitude towards their religion, for asking the Jaina monks to touch the feet of the Brahmaṇas and not permitting them to stay in the kingdom.1
The king was always surrounded with exceptional pomp and decorum (vibhuti),2 yet it would be unwise to assume that his duties were less arduous than his rights. He was prima-. rily the protector of the State and his foremost duty was to protect the people from external aggressions and internal dis-sensions. A king, unable to discharge these functions, was indeed worthy of condemnation (ayasa). Our author quotes the famous dictum-"How can king be a king who does not protect the State (ko rāyā yo na rakkhati)". Somadeva also believes"The king's duty is to punish the wicked and protect the wellbehaved, not just shaving his own head or wearing matted. hair," and also "the king should adopt all possible measures to protect the world, that alone is counted as the basis of kingship."
ه
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The king was the sovereign head in performing the mili-tary, judicial, legislative and executive functions of the State.. Though assisted by a senior military official, i. e. mahabaladhikṛta, the king was ultimately the head of the army. He often led his armies to the battle-field in person." His act of lea-ding his troops in person was compared with the aśvamedha. sacrifice by the contemporary authorities. He was the final. authority in the judicial matters of the State, and his judgement could not be overruled. The laws of the country were formulated by the king in accordance with the customs of the land; any person defying the same was liable to severe punish
1. NC. 1, p. 163
2. NC. 1, p. 52; Brh. Vr. 4, p. 1200.
3. NC. 2, p. 83,
4. NC. 1, p. 7.
5. राज्ञो हि दुष्टनिग्रहः शिष्टपरिपालनं च धर्मः । न पुनः शिरोमुण्डनं जटाधारणादिकम् । -Nitiva., p. 42.
6. राज्ञः पृथिवीपालनोचितं कर्म राज्यं -- Ibid., p. 43.
7. NC. 3, p. 146.
8. स्वामिनः पुरस्सरणं युद्धेऽश्वमेधसमम् -- Nitivā., p. 369.
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