Jaina Political Thought

Author(s): G C Pandey
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 81

taxation, inheritence and theft.
Sensuous satisfaction has to be within the limits of virtue and wealth. Here Somadeva literally lifts three sutras of Kautalya. He, however, enunciates two interesting principles : one is that the study of the arthasastra may help in gaining control over sensuality. The other is that while of dharma, artha and kama, the order is of decreasing value if their conflict is simultaneous. If, however, postponement is possible then artha acquires priority.
After this exposition of the values comprising social conduct and welfare, Somadeva goes on to discuss the education of the prince.Kautalya had simply said that the king must abandon the six inimical passions and had roundly declared that the control of the senses constitutes the whole of science. Somadeva follows his lead and adds practical definitions of the six passions. Kama is, in this context having evil intentions with respect to the wives of others or unmarried women. Anger is marked by rashness, greed by illiberality or coveting the wealth of others. Pride is the failure to be instructed or to abandon one's prejudices. Another form of it is vanity on the ground of one's family, strength etc. An evil kind of rejoicing is in inflicting needless torments or deligrating in mere accumulation of wealth.
Somadeva has an interesting definition of the king. The king is the person who can reward or punish in an ultimate manner. This emphasises the supreme charcter of sovereign power. Governance is the functioning of the king in order to protect the state from the wicked and nourish the good.
Somadeva has again an interesting definition of the realm of the country. It is the territory which has vamas and asramas and has natural and economic resources in adequate measures. While society is here distinguished by a definite order, the economy is simply described in terms of its wealth and resources. The economic order is apparently subsumed within the traditional social order
The varnas and a sramas are described in the traditional Brahmanical manner. No mention is made of the distinctive Jaina view on the subject. Apparently the Jaina thinkers accepted the fact that the rulers had no option but to acquiesce in the traditional Brahmanica reference to the duties of the householder in terms of Brahmanical ritualis, however, more than curious. It seems to suggest that the work has no specific reference to Jaina patrons.
In the tradition of nitisastra the education of the ruler is regarded as of fundamental importance. Anarchy is held better than an ignorant king. Native intelligence and the desire to learn are the basic presuppositions of educability. Listening to the sastras from the learned and critically
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