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Think about it
Early texts do not describe kingship as unlimited power. They set out duties of protection, justice and fair conduct, and even refer to kings being elected or expelled.
What titles did rulers use, and what duties were expected of a king?
- From the 6th century BCE onwards , rulers in different regions used titles such as raja , maharaja , and samrat .
- Texts such as the Arthashastra , the Yajurveda , and the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata describe ideals of kingship and governance.
What were the king's core duties?
KING
Responsible for welfare and protection
Protection
from external threats, internal disorder and calamities
Yajurveda: protect from all calamities
Justice
administer justice in cases such as abduction, robbery, theft and adultery
Killing a cow, treachery, intoxicating liquor
Fairness
judge the strong and weak impartially
Yajurveda coronation oath
- The chapter notes that punishments for some serious offences were severe and could even include capital punishment .
- Kautilya also stresses that a king should be energetically active , because his officers follow his example.
Was kingship always hereditary?
- There are also references to kings being expelled , that is, removed.
Was kingship always hereditary?
Usual pattern
Kingship commonly passed within ruling families.
But not absolute
Texts also refer to kings being elected or expelled.
Royal succession was not completely fixed in practice.
- And succession was not entirely hereditary in practice .
How did rulers express the ideal of political authority over the wider Indian subcontinent?
- The chapter says the geopolitical awareness of early Indian monarchs was not limited to the boundaries of their own kingdoms; it could extend to the whole Indian subcontinent .
- This wider political ideal was expressed through terms and practices such as Jambudvipa , Bharatavarsha , Prithivi , Ashvamedha and Rajasuya yajnas , and chakravarti kshetra .
- The Arthashastra defines Prithivi as the area between the Himavat (Himalayas) and the sea , and equates it with the chakravarti kshetra , the domain of a universal paramount ruler.
| Example used in the chapter | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Ashoka | States that his “energetic exertions” ( pakama ; parakrama in Sanskrit) led to significant changes in the spiritual life of Jambudvipa . |
| Nedunjeral Adan, a Chera ruler | Is described in Sangam tradition as having won the rank of adhiraja and extended conquests up to the Himalayas. |
| Rajendra I, Chola ruler | Adopted the title Gangaikonda to commemorate conquest of regions along the Ganga. |
The recurring idea was an aspiration to exercise political authority over a territory understood broadly as the Indian subcontinent.
THINK ABOUT IT
Texts such as the Mahabharata and the Arthashastra describe the king's duties as protecting people and ensuring justice. Why do you think it was important for rulers to protect people and ensure justice? What do these descriptions tell us about ideas of governance and the relationship between rulers and subjects during that period?
Show Answer
Suggested answer / inference:
the textbook asks for interpretation.
- Protection and justice helped maintain order and made organised social and economic life possible.
- The descriptions show that kingship was understood not only as authority over subjects but also as a set of duties and responsibilities towards them .
Section Summary - Duties and Ideals of the King
Protection
From external threats, disorder and calamities
Justice
Try cases of theft, robbery and other crimes
Fairness
Judge the strong and the weak impartially
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Kingship was described as duty, not unlimited power
