20.01.2013 Views

Economics of Kautiliya Shukra and Brihaspati.pmd

Economics of Kautiliya Shukra and Brihaspati.pmd

Economics of Kautiliya Shukra and Brihaspati.pmd

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

<strong>and</strong> kam helps in selecting the best goals <strong>of</strong> a social person. The<br />

equilibrium <strong>of</strong> artha <strong>and</strong> kam helps in the maximization <strong>of</strong> satisfaction.<br />

Because, it determines the optimum combination <strong>of</strong> wants <strong>and</strong><br />

resources. Thus, Tri-varga Balance determines the unique balance <strong>of</strong><br />

goals, actions <strong>and</strong> satisfaction. The propunders <strong>of</strong> this balance have<br />

warned the people not to be biased towards any one <strong>of</strong> them.<br />

Figure 7.1 explains this unique situation <strong>of</strong> Tri-varga Balance.<br />

Fig.7.1. Tri-varga Balance or The General Equilibrium<br />

(Dharma)<br />

Right conduct<br />

Action<br />

Balance<br />

Goals Satisfation<br />

(Kam)<br />

Pleasure<br />

Nepalese Products <strong>and</strong> Places<br />

(Artha)<br />

Wealth<br />

In Kirata period Nepalese woolen clothes were famous in<br />

Magadha This fact is expressed in <strong>Kautiliya</strong> Arthashastra. One <strong>of</strong> the<br />

mineral products described in <strong>Kautiliya</strong> Arthashastra is bitumen- Shilajit<br />

without mentioning the place <strong>of</strong> origin. Bitumen is found mainly in<br />

100<br />

Nepal. It is a rich source <strong>of</strong> various medicinal minerals <strong>and</strong> therefore<br />

used in Ayurveda.<br />

The <strong>Brihaspati</strong>-sutra mentions half a dozen names which are<br />

related with Nepalese geographical location, such as- Nepal, Kirat,<br />

Himvanta, Shalgram, Sivakshetra etc. Matsya Purana, Garuda Purana,<br />

<strong>and</strong> Agni Purana support the facts <strong>of</strong> <strong>Kautiliya</strong> Arthashastra <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>Brihaspati</strong>-sutra. (Agni Purana, Chapter 46) Garuda Purana also has<br />

a clear description <strong>of</strong> Shalgram domain. This description is based on<br />

the famous Kali G<strong>and</strong>aki, Muktikshetra <strong>and</strong> Damodar Kunda.<br />

The misunderst<strong>and</strong>ings that Sanskrit literature leads to people<br />

in an imaginary world <strong>of</strong> mokhsa- the ultimate freedom becomes untrue<br />

after studying the ideas <strong>of</strong> Kautilya, <strong>Shukra</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Brihaspati</strong>. Its therefore<br />

Roger Boesche calls Kautilya, the Great Political Realist. Their policies<br />

are equally useful in war <strong>and</strong> peace, for economic progress, for national<br />

integration, sovereignty <strong>and</strong> social harmony.<br />

Bokare opines that the first available book on economic thoughts<br />

is Rig-Veda <strong>and</strong> the first definitions <strong>of</strong> <strong>Economics</strong> were presented by<br />

Kautilya <strong>and</strong> <strong>Shukra</strong>. According to him, if Adam Smith is the founder<br />

<strong>of</strong> Modern <strong>Economics</strong> then Kautilya is the founder <strong>of</strong> Oriental<br />

<strong>Economics</strong>. (Bokare, 2009: 79, 93)<br />

We become astonished while studying the deep insight into<br />

the economic problem <strong>and</strong> their practical solutions given Kautilya <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>Shukra</strong>.Theories propunded by these teachers were tested, revised<br />

<strong>and</strong> applied by the society for long. In the context <strong>of</strong> agriculture<br />

development, price stability <strong>and</strong> goverment finanace, ideas <strong>of</strong> Kautilya<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>Shukra</strong> are more practical than those <strong>of</strong> mercantilist, physiocrats<br />

<strong>and</strong> classical.<br />

Every student <strong>of</strong> <strong>Economics</strong>, today knows it very well that<br />

this subject was evolved in Europe, the first economic thinker was<br />

101

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!