1. What were the most important duties of the king according to the Arthashastra?
2. Name the categories of farmers.
anization
Answers
Answer:
1. Arthashastra says king had daily duties and then specific duties.
King divides day into 8 parts for daily duties.
During the first part of the day, the king was to post watchmen and attend to the accounts of receipts and attendance at the audience hall and receiving the reports of his military. Second part, to look into the affairs of both citizens and country and inspection of the road and municipal works. The Third part for personal matters like bath meals etc.The fourth part, the king should look after the finance and selection of officers. The fifth part should be devoted to consultations with ministers, correspondence, secret matters, to receive secret information from spies etc. The sixth part, for self-deliberation. The seventh to supervise the army in person. The eighth, to consider various plans of military operations with his army chief.
The night was like wise divided into eight parts.
The first in receiving secret emissaries and the high officials or important persons. The second in bath and meal followed by religious meditations. The third, fourth and fifth portions are reserved for sleep and the king should be an early riser. The sixth part king being awakened recall the injunctions of science as well as his daily duties. The seventh part should deal with the spies and secret agents.The eighth in receiving benedictions from priests, teachers and high priest and interviewing his physician, chief cook, astrologer and financial advisers.
Kautilya describes about king’s duties as executive duties, legislative duties, judicial duties, financial duties, military duties, promotion of trade and commerce, promotion of arts and education.