Raj Dharma - 3

Recap: Part 1 and Part 2

In the third part of the series, we will see the qualities of a ruler according to the Arthashastra by Kautilya. My attempt here is to paraphrase material from the rendition of Arthashastra by L.N. Rangarajan, and try to produce a generalized attempt at understanding the conditioning of a king, his self control and his duties as explained in the Arthashastra which are essential parts to understand for people of a democracy, so that they can choose the right kind of leader for themselves. Those aspiring to participate in politics should also have a brush with these topics, since these qualities are to be expected of them as well:

Note: I am only skimming these ideas in brief. For a complete study, I urge you to buy the book I'm reading (click), or another translation of the Arthashastra.

Training a king: (In modern parlance, a PM?)

Importance of self discipline:

The three sciences [philosophy, the three Vedas {four now} and economics] are dependent on the science of government. Without the rule of law, pursuit of learning or vocation would not be possible. The rule of law can guarantee security and welfare of the people, and this rule of law is dependent on the self discipline of the leader. {1.5-2}

This self discipline is of two kinds - 1) Inborn and 2) Acquired. There needs to be a certain capacity of a person to benefit from training in discipline. This includes - obedience to a teacher, desire and ability to learn, capacity to retain, understanding, reflecting and ability to make inferences on what is learnt. A king should be able to acquire discipline and follow it in life.

Self Control:

This part mostly pertains to controlling the senses, not falling prey to lust, anger, greed, conceit, arrogance and foolhardiness. The leaders of a nation should avoid over-indulgence in the pleasure of the senses i.e, hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell.

Duties of a king:

The King is advised by Kautilya to be a Rajarishi {who is wise like a sage}. The features of such a king include:

- Having self control, conquering the temptations of the senses.
- Cultivates intellect by association with elders (in modern parlance, experts from various fields).
- Keeps a vast spy network.
- Is ever active in promoting security and welfare of the people,
- Ensures observance of dharma by people by authority and example.
- Endears himself to people by enriching them and doing good to them.
- Avoid daydreaming, acting by whims, falsehood and extravagance.
- Respect councillors and purohitas who warn him of bad behavior, make him follow his schedule and caution him when he errs.

Kautilya also advises the king to be energetic. If he is so, the subjects will be equally energetic. If he is slack, the subjects will be too and be a load on the economy. A lazy king as per Kautilya, is of ten a victim of his enemies.

Disaffection among subjects:
Besides, the king also has to control disaffection among his subjects, and must not act in a manner which would cause impoverishment, greed or disaffection among the people. If such a thing were to occur, he should take remedial measures {7.5.28}

The Arthashastra also warns the king against possible behavior which causes impoverishment, greed and disaffection among the subjects. This it says to happen when:

- The king ignores the good and favors the wicked.
- Causes harm by new unrighteous practices.
- Neglects the observation of proper and righteous practices.
- Supresses dharma and propagates adharma.
- Indulges in wasteful expenditure and destroys profitable undertakings.
- Antagonizes the knowledgeable by lying and mischief.

From {7.5.19-26} Such would cause resentment of the people against the King, cause rebellion and an opportunity of mischief in the country for the enemy. (Sounds similar, doesn't it?)

In addition to this, I would also like you to go over the earlier two parts of this series to have a complete review on the topic of Raj Dharma (Part 1 and Part 2) as covered until now. Let this also be a lesson for this Independence day. The pathetic and lax attitude of India's democratic rulers are one reason for our current condition. The other reason is public being unaware of the properties they need to look for in a leader, often getting swayed by petty issues like caste, free food, free electricity, narrow regionalist outlook, quota, etc. From a morally corrupt citizenry, only a morally corrupt leadership can emerge. May the above be a template for us to choose our leaders wisely, and to participate in the democracy with additional fervor than what we regularly show. The solution to a failing democracy as ours is not no democracy, as so many deluded people believe today, but is more democracy. The power is yours people, to be the change you wish to see in the society.

P.S: Some of these ideas have found a better, more fluid and contemporary expression in this article: click. Give them a tribute as well.

|| जय हिंद ||

Raj Dharma - 2

With us establishing what is Raj Dharma that an ideal leader should follow, there is more work to be done in today's times for a leader rather than just bear the feelings of the sort toward his duty.

True democracy and developing public consensus towards any cause for a leader can be served by a correct thought process and correct method of communication for what he is thinking. To this end, I advise watching the following video from Simon Sinek on how successful people have worked over the years. Should be no different now, since the human organism has at the most remained the same over several millenia and at the least, devolved to a lesser intelligence.

The core essence of what Mr. Simon said, is that there are three shells of thinking and of communicating ideas. From the inside to the outside, these are: Why, How and What. All organizations/people know what they are doing. Some, would know how they are doing it (procedure, etc.) and very few know why they are doing it. Most people would thing from the outside in of the sphere, start thinking with the clearest thing, and then go inwards of the sphere. But the people who are truly inspired, they would think from the inside out and communicate likewise. Simon goes on to prove how different firms and people succeed with this type of thinking, including giving the scientific explanation of the mechanism behind the success for this mode of communication.

Why is this important in this day? Well, ours is no longer a monarchy anymore where a king can keep ideas of Raj Dharma to himself. Of course, an ideal king will never keep great ideas to himself and convey it to his people.

The people of India need to know the features of a great leader, and the communication of his ideas is surely one of the great features that a people must recognize and vote to rule them. Again, I'm not suggesting that a great leader will not on his own appeal to the people's limbic system and woo them to his side. Teflon coating or not, his lustre will shine through. But putting this down on paper serves to make a catalog of things to notice in a leader, just in case people are led astray by glamour and dynasty.

In the next post in this series, my effort would be to suggest what ideas a true Raj Dharami should have.

Raj Dharma

Buffer upto 27:50 and watch till end.

Some lines on Dharma from Bhishma's address to Yudhisthir in the 94th episode of Mahabharata by B.R. Chopra.

".. Oh warrior, oh king, I am a defeated warrior and a defeated citizen. And from me, you should learn what a good warrior and citizen should not do. Vidur told me many times, that I should not honor the throne of Hastinapur. Instead, I should remain dutiful to Hastinapur. For if Hastinapur is not around, there will be no throne. Nothing is larger than the nation. No father, no son, no promise. My promises took me away from the interests of the nation. Yet, I kept them, and allowed the nation to go waste. My devotion to my promises made me a traitor. You are now seeing a traitor on this bed of arrows. I am the reason for the division of Hastinapur, the wax house accident, Draupadi's vastra haran and my beloved Arjun has thus nailed me to the ground for my sins. Every arrow is telling me, every wound is telling me, to recognize this land. You forgot it to see an image of your father?

Oh son, I am that Kshatriya who lived as a slave of my promises. With me, this chapter of disrespect for my motherland will also cease to exist. Oh son, on these white clothes of mine, there will be the blot of my pride. And this blot is so strong, that no penance from me will wash that. So son, do not ever make a promise that separates you from your nation. And if you did that, you will end up on a similar bed of arrows. Because when a Devavrata blocks the path of the nation, there will be an Arjun to slay him. This is the core essence of politics. Oh son, there is no interest of a king that is bigger than the interests of the nation. And if you think there is such an interest, then you too have trodded away from the path of Raj Dharma.

The country is not for the king, the king is for the country. And that king is never lucky for the nation, that blames his past for his nation's economic and social handicaps. If history has given you a weak socio-economic structure, then improve it! Change it! Because the past itself hasn't stood up to the challenges of the present. Because if the past were healthy, and if it had the strength to take the nation on the path of progress, then there would have been no change. And listen to this carefully oh son, the challenge of a nation's agility is that womankind is respected. The nation's borders are as respectful as a mother's clothes. Protect them with all vigor.

Vasudeva: Tell them something about Dharma and Rajdharma too Pitamah.

.. Dharma is not confined to rites and rituals. It is a balance of your duties and others' rights. Thus, you must follow Dharma. Raj Dharma (Dharma towards your nation) is the same. But a king's duties are more than that of a citizen's. If a situation calls for the partition of a nation, then call for war, but never partition the nation. Can you five brothers cut your mother into five and distribute amongst yourselves? If not, then how can you divide the motherland? I have committed this sin. Which is why I'm telling this. To delay war, I even agreed to the partition of the nation. Do not fall for this move Yudhisthir. Now I'm tired Vasudeva and won't say anything more..."