Jaina Political Thought

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

Page 85

should belong to the country (svadesaja) since the loyalty to one's own country is the strongest. The mantrin, ought to be high-born, of sound character, well versed in practical affairs and skilled in the use of arms. This last is, again, an interesting qualification and indicates the insecurity at the court in those times.
The process of taking counsel is described in traditional terms. Counsel should be secret and expeditiously tumed into action. It is incumbant on a good counsellor to tender correct advice even if it runs counter to the wishes of the king. Nor should the king disregard the advice to the councellor. The idea behind this advice to the councellor and the king is to exalt the importance of the dispassionate consideration of political principles which enable one to understand the real situation nitir yathavasthitam artham upalambhayati. The counsellor in not conceived as a single person but rather as a small body of persons, three, five or seven. These apparently form the inner cabinet of the king, the ancient Parisad. In the Yasastilaka of Somadeva we find a fictitious account of one such cabinet and its discussions. Here we hear of the divergent speeches of five different counsellors among whom one is regarded as the chief. The others include a saciva, a poet, a follower of Carvaka and a counsellor versed in niti. The inclusion of a materialistic advisor among the five is highly interesting. The most general principle of policy emphasized is that the people should be kept satisfied "sarva kopebhyah prakrti-kopo gariyan" nothing is more ruinous than the rage of the people.
The importance of the purohita well versed in the Veda and dandaniti is admitted fully and unreservedly. One of his functions is to save the realm from natural calamities. The purohita was apparently required as much for religious as for superstitious reasons. He was also required for arranging the education of princes.
Somadeva does not say much about the commander of the forces senapati He ought to be skilled, brave and loyal. He should not be open to corruption nor inclined to harshness or independence. As an officer of the state he must serve to please the people. For Somadeva war is, in fact, only the last alternative. One must in the first instance seek to gain one's ends by the use of intelligence peacefully. If, however, war be inevitable, one must make full preparations before hand. These should include sowing dissension in the enemy ranks. The best way of doing that is to encourage the kinsmen and possible successors of the enemy. One's own army should be effective in strength rather than large in numbers. This comment must be read in the light of the times. It is well known how the armies of Hindu kings in this period were large and ineffective as proved in their encounters
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