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II. ADMINISTRATION AND STATECRAFT
1. STATE AND THE KING
Dhanapāla like many of his illustrious predecessors inherits the conception of construing (rājya) state as a body having angas (limbs)' which have been counted as seven by Kautilya, Sukra' and Kālidāsa. The covert allusion to the seven constituent limbs of the body politic that a state is, is also indicated by the fact where by Meghavāhana has been construed as famous on account of his seven threads even when he was endowed with innumerable guņas (threads; resources etc.). The apparent incongruity when solved, solves the hidden meaning as well. Guņas taken technically mean expedients.. King Meghavāhana was provided with innumerable expedients and was known for his seven constituent limbs (of the State he was the supreme sovereign of)'. Sukra goes to the extent of naming Amātya as the eye, allies as the ears, Kośa as the mouth, army as the mind, durga and rāșt ra as the two hands and two feet. That is why Dhanapāla remarks in context with Meghavāhana that even though he had amassed huge treasury, had subjugated all the vassals, had the cabinet of ministers amenable to him, had won over the group of allies, had his forts occupied by the guards; he made his kingdom over to (i.e. devolved the responsibilities of its administration upon the group of the amātyas who were conversant with the science of polity in its entirety, who were foremost among the intelligentsia, who by intellect had their derided even Brhaspati, who were like his arm having shoulders capable of supporting the burden of the earth (Vasundharā) and who were his heart, as it were, with utmost amity secured from their very birth and who were the object of his great confidence. Hence Koša,
1. doi: Ta gur FU TR$45 : TM Vol. I p. 66. 2. 24640474gfahrgusfallfu yatirt4: KAŚ VI 1. p. 164. R. P. Kangle Vol. I. 3. FRYTTAREgadi 1
HAF HOT Gi qu1 74: Wa: 11 Sukranīti I. 61. p. 10. 4. 349717 Fra Hai
ahi HOT a utenf 0414614|| Ragh V. I. 60. 5. असंख्यगुणशालिनापि सप्ततन्तुख्यातेन TM Vol. I p. 61. 6. STRI: Yo Te gai 1:1
B Y GIRTE TE Waffell Sukra nīti I. 62. p. 10. 7. उपार्जितप्रभूतकोशं वशीकृतसमस्तसामन्तमायत्तमन्त्रिमण्डलमुपगृहीतमित्रवर्गमाप्तपुरुषाधिष्ठितदुर्गामग्रमपि राज्यमा
जन्मनः प्ररूढपरमसोहृदस्य हृदस्येवातिविश्वसनीयस्य बाहोरिव वसुन्धराभारवहनक्षमस्कन्धस्य प्रगल्भमत्युपहसितधिषणस्यापि प्रज्ञावतां धौरेयस्य विदितनि:शेषनीतिशास्त्रसंहतेरमात्यवर्गस्यायत्तमकरोत् TM Vol. I p. 71.
