Indian Antiquary Vol 60

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 143

JULY, 1931) DATE OF COMPILATION OF RAUTALYA'S ARTHA-SASTRA (484-510 A.D.) 121
THE DATE OF THE COMPILATION OF KAUTALYA'S ARTHA-SASTRA (484-610 A.D.)
BY PRAN NATH, D.Sc., PH.D.
(Continued from page 112.) 4. Pråg-Hapaka-Gandhåra Countries (484-510 A.D.) The capture of the north-western Panjab by the Honas dates from 465 A.D., when Skandagupta suooumbed to them. The Hûna conqueror ToramAna established his authority in Malw& prior to 500 A.D. and when he died, about 510 A.D., he left & sufficiently consolidated dominion to his son Mihiragula. "All Indian traditions agree in representing Mihiragula as a blood-thirsty tyrant, the Attila of India,' stained to a more than ordinary degree with the implacable cruelty' noted by historians as characteristio of the Hun temperament.”19 In these circumstanoes the conquered kings took good care to see that none of their subjects gave any cause for offence to these foreigners. This was perhaps the reason for enacting a law punishing heavily any who abused the Hûnas and their country. Kantalya writes -Tena brutopanddah, udgivandndm kdrukufilavdnám vyttyupaodda) Prdj-jánaka (Prag Hänaka according to Ganapati Sastri). Gandháradinám ca janapadopavddá vyd.khoaidh.80 Herr Meyer and Di. Shamasastry both failed to grasp the meaning of Praj-junaka or Prág-Henaka. Ganapati Sastri, in his commentary on the above passage, writes: Prdgghinaka-gandharidindu Hanabi ndma janapada-visosak Kamagir. yutlarato vytlirudicyaḥ tasyapurdoayarak prágghúnakih (vol. II, p. 104). Both convey the same meaning, i.e., the eastern Hona janapada, and the Gandhára countries. . The Smrti of Yajñavalkya does not contain any such item ; indeed it contains very little about defamation. Kantalya is clearer and contains better material so far as this section is ooncerned. It is interesting to note that the Artha-Idadra and the Ydjfiavallya-smrti both finish the section in a remarkably similar manner.
This reference to punishment for abusing the janapadas of Hónas and those of GendhAre would seem clear proof that the Artha-distra was compiled between 484 and 510 or 528 A.D. When the kings of MAIWA were exposed to attack by the cruel Hunas. Apparently tho Hindu rulers did not like to give any chance of complaint to the Hana chieftains.
5. The Countries of the Malwa Empire fuld the conditions of Kantalya's janapadas. (1) Pearl fishery.-The pearl centres according to Kautalya were :
(A) (a) Tamraparņi (a river in the Pandya oountary). (6) Pandyakavata (a mountain known as Malayakoti in the Pandya country): (c) Past (river 1). (d) Chorņa (river near the village Murachi in the Kerala country). (6) Kala (a river in Sinhala). U) Mahendra (a mountain in the Eastern Ghata).
(B) (a) Kardama (a river in Persia). (6) Srotasi (a river falling in the sea of Barbara): (c) Hrada (a pool of water known as Brighanta in a corner of the Barbara son):
(C)
Himavatá (Himalaya). From the above classification it is clear that the important areas of the pearl trade were only two, viz. (1) The southern extremity of India, and (2) the sea of Barbara. It appears to me that people used to go to fish for pearls in the Barbara sea in their own boats as rell as in ships belonging to the king from Burgukaccha and other ports situated on the shores of Aparanta, Kacaha, Sarlatra and Sindh. With these identifications the section on
1 Smaith, B.A.J., p. 336.
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90 6. 8, p. 19.