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100
Ganesh Thite
tradition We know that there are many hymns in the Atharvaveda containing magico religious political thoughts and further in the Kausikasütiama text ancillary to the Atharvaveda--there are many Rājakarmāņi-duties of king-described, the nature of which is nothing but magico-religious That the king should appoint a pui ohita-priest, is a very ancient rule-and Kautilya strongly recommends it The word Purohita literally means “kept in front" (like a shield) The Purohita protects the king & kingdom with his magico-religious activities. But he is not merely protective, be is agressive also and can perform black magical rites against the enemy of the king so one has to trace the roots of the magico-1 eligious part in the Arthaśāstra in the Atharvavedic liter qiure only Although Kautilya himself sometimes oppo ses superstitions etc. or allows a king to exploit public superstition for his benefit, it is worthy to note that Kautilya was not a heretic or antivedic. On the other hand he looks down the heretical people (cf. Ili 20,16 ) and declares that vedic way alone is beneficial (1.3.4, p. 1.5 7-10 etc). Therefore there is no wonder if he includes in his work some magico-religious part which is in adherence to the Vedic way of thinking
4 Cf. M. WINTERNITZ, Some Problems of Indian Literature, Calcutta,
1925 “The whole Arthasāstra shows that its author was a strict adherent of Brähmanism and he presupposes a social system entirely founded on Brahmanıc religion and custom (P.104 see following), CP. V, R Ramachandra Dikshitar, "The Religious data in Kautilya's Arthagästra" II. 7, 1929, (P. 251ff) p.251, 253 etc
