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Re-Viewing the Concept of Artha in Kautilay's VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.4 Issue 4 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2017 http://www.joell.in RESEARCH ARTICLE RE-VIEWING THE CONCEPT OF ARTHA IN KAUTILAY’S ARTHASHASTRA Ajeet Singh (Assistant Professor,Department of English,Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya Khanpur Kalan, Sonipat-131305 Haryana.) Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT The philosophical conception of Purushartha with its four popular dimensions i.e. Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksa and their particular sequence is much debated and discussed in different philosophical treatises. Kautilay’s Arthasastra is one such philosophical exposition that is devoted to one of the four Purusharthas i.e. Artha. The term artha is a multidimensional concept conveying a handful of meaning to different people. It can be “meaning” etymologically as the meaning of a word. It may denote “substance”, as in the material, the stuff out of which anything is made. It may denote “purpose” or “goal” that determines the means. Out of the four Purusharthas i.e. Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksa, Kautilay was the first to assign a high place to artha as against dharma and kama. The text of Arthasastra provides a structural analysis of the philosophical construct i.e. artha in the most comprehensive manner covering all the possible meaning of the term. Therefore, the epistemology of artha can be a valid subject of inquiry for exploring its metaphysical sources. This paper is an attempt to explore the essential sources of artha. Keywords: Kautilay, Arthasastra, Artha, Purushartha. Citation: APA Singh,A. (2017) Re-Viewing The Concept of Artha In Kautilay’s Arthashastra.Veda’s Journal of English Language and Literature-JOELL, 4(4), 95-99. MLA Singh,Ajeet. “Re-Viewing The Concept of Artha In Kautilay’s Arthashastra.”Veda’s Journal of English Language and Literature JOELL, Vol.4, no.4, 2017, pp.95-99. Author(s) retain the copyright of this article Copyright © 2017 VEDA Publications Author(s) agree that this article remains permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License . 95 Ajeet Singh VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.4 Issue 4 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2017 http://www.joell.in Purushartha, one of the most celebrated composed their treatises devoted singly to one of the philosophical concepts in Indian intellectual tradition, Purusharthas Manu’s Dharmasastra, Vatsayana’s is thought to be a conception of the purpose of Kamasastra and Kautilay’s Arthasastra etc. human life on the Earth. M. Hiriyanna states that Kautilay’s Arthasastra is one such “The literal meaning of the classical expression philosophical exposition that is devoted to one of the purushartha is 'any object of human striving, human four Purusharthas i.e. Artha. The whole treatise effort'. And, when used adverbially, purushartham comprises of 15 books, 150 chapters, 180 sections conveys the nuance 'for the sake of man' 'on account and 6000 slokas. Kautilay in the beginning of his of man’ (22). It has been a part of the intellectual treatise admits that before this there were other discourse across various disciplines like, Darsana, philosophical schools which focused on the Kavya, Purana, Vedas, Itihasa etc. Scholars like Gavin exposition of Artha. He mentioned a few of them like Flood states that “ A careful historical review of the School of Manu, School of Brihaspati, School of development of the puruṣārtha doctrine, looking well Usanas etc. in the beginning of his discourse. Kautilay beyond the Bhagavad-Gītā” (11). In general, the considers the sciences i.e. Anvikshaki, Trayi (The concept provides a philosophical structure of the triple Vedas), Varta (agriculture, cattle-breeding, goals of human life. Dharmottara writes, “Even trade) and Danda-Niti (science of government) as the etymologically 'Pumshartha' means that which is base for the structural analysis of Artha. He says that: aimed at or desired. It could be anything that we Anvikshaki, the triple Védas (Trayi), Várta desire to have (upadeya) or to avoid (heya)” (22). Its (agriculture, cattle-breeding and trade), and theoretical structure comprises of four possible Danda-Niti (science of government) are dimensions i.e. Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksa. what are called the four sciences. The school The intellectual tradition in India provides theoretical of Manu (Manava) hold that there are only and philosophical treatises composed by ancient three sciences: the triple Vedas, Varta and Sages and thinkers of India devoted to these four the science of government, inasmuch as the objectives/ends of Purushartha. Sages and thinkers science of Anvikshaki is nothing but a special composed full length texts giving philosophical branch of the Vedas. The school of exposition to these ends. The philosophical Brihaspati say that there are only two exposition of these four Purusharthas in their sciences: independent treatises which are solely devoted to Varta and the science of government, these ends reveals their interconnectedness or their inasmuch as the Triple Vedas are merely an contingent nature. In spite of the fact that these four abridgment (Samvarana, pretext?) for a man Purusharthas have been expounded in independent experienced in affairs temporal texts, their division seems arbitrary as all of these are (Lokayatravidah). The school of Usanas the parts of a single philosophical unit. In other declare that there is only one science, and words, it can be said that they are not divorced from that the science of government; for, they each other. As life is a composite whole, its division in say, it is in that science that all other different spheres is a result of the polemics so the sciences have their origin and end. But division of four Purusharthas is equally arbitrary. Kautilya holds that four and only four are The philosophical conception of Purushartha the sciences; wherefore it is from these with its four popular dimensions i.e. Dharma, Artha, sciences that all that concerns righteousness Kama, and Moksa and their particular sequence is and wealth is learnt, therefore they are so much debated and discussed in different called. (Arthasastra, 8-9). philosophical treatises. And the discussion and The term artha is a multidimensional concept debates on their particular sequence determine their conveying a handful of meaning to different people. importance. Therefore, keeping in view, the What is artha? It can be “meaning” etymologically as importance of each one of them, the thinkers and the meaning of a word. It may denote “substance”, composers of theoretical and philosophical texts as in the material, the stuff out of which anything is 96 Ajeet Singh VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.4 Issue 4 An International Peer Reviewed Journal 2017 http://www.joell.in made. It may denote “purpose” or “goal” that Kauitlays’ conception of artha and its determines the means. Out of the four Purusharthas philosophical exposition in the form of theoretical i.e. Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksa , Kautilay was text i.e. Arthasastra gives him a unique place among the first to assign a high place to artha as against the philosophers of the world. Through his text dharma and kama. The text of Arthasastra provides a Kauitlay provides a dynamic and a comprehensive structural analysis of the philosophical construct i.e. structure of human existence which is determined, artha in the most comprehensive manner covering all governed and regulated by the political, social, the possible meaning of the term. Therefore, the economic and all kinds of cultural institutions which epistemology of artha can be a valid subject of are resultant of the conception of a multiple reality inquiry for exploring its metaphysical sources. This where different layers or stages are possible from paper is an attempt to explore the essential sources physical to metaphysical. of artha. The beginning of Kautilay’s theoretical Arthasastra is a philosophical inquiry which discourse on artha in Book I “Concering Discipline” of provides structural analysis of socio-cultural reality in Arthasastra gives an idea of the epistemological terms of artha. It covers the whole range of human sources of the multi-dimensional philosophical existence in terms of all kinds of civilizational concept of artha. institutions. The text provides not only the genesis of It seems that Kautilay considers “human power but also the different socio-cultural character” as the most potential source of artha in all institutions through which it functions. It seems that its possible forms. Though “human character” itself is Kautilay did not leave any aspect of human existence a controversial or philosophically debatable term but untouched. He discusses of all kinds of political, Kautilay being a practical thinker does not go deep social, economic and cultural institutions in terms of into its layers. Purposefully, he discusses all the their creation, function and purpose. But unlike stages from where artha generates and gradually Plato, the Greek philosopher, and Karl Marx, the how does it acquire more and more complex forms in German philosopher, he locates the essence of artha terms of political, social economic and all kind of in human consciousness. Plato in his Republic creates cultural institutions. In Book I “Concerning Discipline” an ideal political structure for the meaningful of Arthasastra, Kautilay states: existence of human being on this Earth. In his The observance
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