Indian Antiquary Vol 47

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 252

236
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
SEPTEMBER, 1918
has to do in a large measure with polity (dandaniti) which helps to create and maintain the condition precedent of economic development.14 The relation between vártta and Arthasastra appears therefore to be that the former is the general name of the branch of learning that treats of wealth alone while the latter deals with it in combination with polity, and other subjects having more or less intimate connection with vârtlâ and dandaniti.15 Arthasastra a sub-type of Itihasa-Veda; how far this is additional clue to the time
of emergence of Vartta. Having noticed the relation of Vartta to Arthasdstra we are led to enquire whether the sub-gumption of the latter under Itihasa-Veda as done by Kautilya 16 can furnish any clue to the time of emergence of the subject and thereby that of Vârttà, for Itihasa is mentioned in the Atharva-Vedu 27 Taittiriya-Brahmana, 18 Satapatha-Brahmana 19 and various other Vedic works 20 as a branch of learning. The implication of the term as given by the commentators is not expressly in favour of its inclusion of the six sub-types of learning as represented in the Kauliliya. Moreover, the Vedic texts themselves mention very often Purana and Itihasa side by side as a compound expression, which seems not to support their relation to each other as genus and species ; for if the words bore the mean. ing given in the Kautiliya the mention of Itihasa would have obviated the necessity of citing Purd na separately. We are not therefore in a position to say that the denotation of the word Itihasa in the aforesaid Vedic passages is the same as that of the Kauçiliya. It may be supposed that the word Itihasa may be found in use in post-Vedic Sanskrit 21 or Pali 23 and Jaina 23 literature with the denotation it bears in Kautilya's treatise, but so far as I see, the evidences in the light of their current interpretations do not favour the supposition.
Thus the aforesaid meaning of Itikasa in the Kautiliya stands alone unless it be said that the meaning should be read into the word in the passages of works chronologically
14 Cf. Kauf ixtya, Bk. I, p. 9. "Anviksha ki-trayi-vårttån&m Yogakshe magadhano dandah."
15 The contents of the Kautilya Arthasastra lead us to infer that the subjects of administration of justice, polity including art of war and inter-statal relations, building of forts, town-planning, &c., formed part of the Arthasastra in view of their bearing on polity and economics though of course those subjecte, that had a comparatively distant connection with them, received proportioual attention and space in the working up of the treatise.
16 Itihasa-Veda includes (1) Puråņa, (2) Itivșitta, (3), Akhyâyika, (4) Uddharaṇa, (5) Dharmasastra, and (6) Arthasastra.(Kauti tiya, Bk. I, vriddhasan yogal, p. 10.)
17 Atharva-Veda, XV, 4. 18 Taittiriya-Brahmana, III, 12, 8, 2. 19 Satapatha-Brahmana, XI, 5, 8, 4-8; XIII, 4, 3, 3 ff.; XIV, 5, 4, 10; 6, 10, 6; 7, 3, 11.
20 E.g., Taittirlya-Aranyaba, II, 9 and 10: San khả yana-Srauta-Satra, XVI, 2, 2 ff.; Åsvarayana-Srauta. Satra, X,7, 1 fl.; Sankhyayana-Grihya-Satra, I, 24, 8; Asvaldyana.Grihya-Satra, III, 3, 1-3; Hiranya kerinGrihya-Satra, II, 19, 6. Cf. Brihadaranyaka-Upanishad, II 4, 10; IV, 1, 2; 6, 11; IV, 8, 11; Maitra yani-Upanishad, VI, 33; Chhandogya-Upanishad, III, 1.4.
21 E.g., Gautama, VIII, 6; Vishnu, XXX, 38; LXXIII, 16; Baudhayana, II, 5, 9, 14; IV, 3, 4; Manu, III, 232; Vayu-Purana, ch. I, elk. 200. Vishnu-Purana, Pt. I, ch. 1, blk. 4. Agni-Purana, ch. 271, élk. 10. Bhagavata Purana, Skandha I, oh. 4, slk. 20.
2 E.g., Sutta-Nipdta, Maha vagga (Selasutta) [SBE., vol. X), p. 98 mentions Itihasa as the fifth Veda; Parayanavagga (vatthugátha) [SBE., vol. X), p. 189. Questions of Mitinda (SBB., vol. XXXV], pp. 6, 247.
2a Kalpa-Sutra (SBE., vol. XXII), p. 221 mentions Itihdea as the fifth Veda.