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Why the man who inspired the Bharat (Indian) republic is still worth reading.
We all know that the Indian constitutional emblem was inspired by the artifact patronized by the great Mauryan king of the Indian sub-continent (Akhand Bharat), popularly known as Chakravarti Samrat Ashok. This shows the importance of the influence the Sarnath pillar located near Varanasi, dated to around 250 BCE, had on the Indian leaders who were responsible for framing and producing the constitution. On the contrary, one can also find the Ashok chakra not only on the Indian national flag but also on national wealth like currency notes, Indian passports, and stationery used by the government.
Flashback
The story starts with a child who is known to have been born in 375 B.C. and is popularly known as Vishnu Gupta, Chanakya, or Kautilya. His origin or birthplace is still under debate. Some say that he came from the Golla village (south India), some say that he came from Taxila (modern-day Pakistan), and some say that he was born in Pataliputra itself (modern-day Patna, Bihar, India).
According to Thomas Trautmann, there are four versions of the story that laid the foundation of the Mauryan empire, eradicating the unworthy Nanda empire.
A. Mahavamsa (Buddhist version recorded in Pali).
B. Perishishtaparvan by Hemchandra. (Jain version).
C. Katha Sarit Sagar by Som Deva, Brihat-Katha-Manjari by Ksemendra. (Kashmiri Version).
D. Mudra Rakshasa by Vishakha Datta (Sanskrit version).
It’s clear that exact records and substance related to it must have been erased due to destruction that came with invasions, but the story remained the same in all versions. All credit goes to the endless oral educational culture that this land practiced in the form of stories, poems, and literature that reflects that a man existed 2300 years ago who not only talked but also played a crucial role in drafting and executing the seven principled blueprints that were very much in line with the democratic structure of today. This states the level of statesmanship that this land was able to produce, which, according to these seven principles, got unified under one tower of power but was also seen to be decentralized in administrative ways.
The revolutionary idea that the best way to manage any sovereign boundary should be through the science of politics, which includes the rule of formulated law for the respective land, which took the name of Artha Shastra, can be seen as the first version of the modern constitution, which was seen to be out of question worldwide. It was he who first stated that if a state has to be governed, then it can only be governed by the rule of law and not by the rule of faith or beliefs, considering exceptions and keeping some sensitivities aside. Thus, it was clear that he was the first person who vouched for the separation of religious and state affairs.
The seven principles of Chanakya that go well with modern-day democratically governed regions are:
1. Swami or King: Prime Minister or President in modern terms. He is known to be the top head of all the executive powers, yet he takes decisions based...
Flashback
The story starts with a child who is known to have been born in 375 B.C. and is popularly known as Vishnu Gupta, Chanakya, or Kautilya. His origin or birthplace is still under debate. Some say that he came from the Golla village (south India), some say that he came from Taxila (modern-day Pakistan), and some say that he was born in Pataliputra itself (modern-day Patna, Bihar, India).
According to Thomas Trautmann, there are four versions of the story that laid the foundation of the Mauryan empire, eradicating the unworthy Nanda empire.
A. Mahavamsa (Buddhist version recorded in Pali).
B. Perishishtaparvan by Hemchandra. (Jain version).
C. Katha Sarit Sagar by Som Deva, Brihat-Katha-Manjari by Ksemendra. (Kashmiri Version).
D. Mudra Rakshasa by Vishakha Datta (Sanskrit version).
It’s clear that exact records and substance related to it must have been erased due to destruction that came with invasions, but the story remained the same in all versions. All credit goes to the endless oral educational culture that this land practiced in the form of stories, poems, and literature that reflects that a man existed 2300 years ago who not only talked but also played a crucial role in drafting and executing the seven principled blueprints that were very much in line with the democratic structure of today. This states the level of statesmanship that this land was able to produce, which, according to these seven principles, got unified under one tower of power but was also seen to be decentralized in administrative ways.
The revolutionary idea that the best way to manage any sovereign boundary should be through the science of politics, which includes the rule of formulated law for the respective land, which took the name of Artha Shastra, can be seen as the first version of the modern constitution, which was seen to be out of question worldwide. It was he who first stated that if a state has to be governed, then it can only be governed by the rule of law and not by the rule of faith or beliefs, considering exceptions and keeping some sensitivities aside. Thus, it was clear that he was the first person who vouched for the separation of religious and state affairs.
The seven principles of Chanakya that go well with modern-day democratically governed regions are:
1. Swami or King: Prime Minister or President in modern terms. He is known to be the top head of all the executive powers, yet he takes decisions based...
