BHRAMINIC TRADITION

Origin - 4 Vida’s (Rig, Yajur, Sam and Atharva) / Vedic literature (Upanishads,
puranas) / Post Vedic (Dharmasutra, Dharmashastra, Arthashastra, nitisastra,
smritis, Vedanga, epic)
Features - Central belief of Vedic followers / given by Brahmans / Its thoughts
& concepts role in rise of Indian pol thought.

Methodological Problems - No consensus for periodization and historicity of

texts (Vedas were unavailable for period in history & Different projections of
Ramayana) / Reading of text in appropriate context – devalued its autonomy,
universal appeal, relevance / non-English terms Sanskrit / No single text,
holistic & systematic in deal with politics

BASIC CONCEPTS - Concepts given by metaphysicians and philosophers

later adopt by political thinkers
Vedas as a Source of Knowledge
Manu - 1 of 4 characteristics of dharma as Vedas, smriti, sadachar (behavioural
ethics), atman (soul)
Kautilya - 1 of 4 foundations of polity as Trayee (3 Vedas), Anvikshaki
(duality), Varta (economy), Dandniti (punishment) / use it to settle Legal
controversy - Veda’s text on dharma, Evidence, History, Royal edicts

Brahma & Kshatra – debate of relative superiority of spiritual and physical

powers
Brahma - Means Prayer / Brihm - means to grow, striving to attain the Absolute
Kshatra – Means sovereignty or absolute ruling power / rule exercise by God or
man / Rulers, equivalent with king / Ruling class opposed to priests, subject
Human nature - combines body (physical power) & soul (spiritual power) /
Preference of spiritual over materialist or physical. / Because Man, essentially
divine (with rays of God), but shroud by veil of ignorance, once it lifted man
will shine
Relation with caste - Brahmin with brahma (could attain physical power) /
Kshatriya with Kshatra (could attain spiritual power)
Rama and Krishna – have both the powers in Epics / Kautilya - brahmin with
kshatra power as unconquerable

Man (Vyakti) - Essentially divine (partaker in gods qualities) & good and
benevolent / parmatma is in atma (soul), thus able to improve itself / need to
transcend all social and political fears to realize this fundamental human spirit
Four Pursuits of Life - Dharma & Moksha are good, whereas Artha & Kama
are pleasant
Dharma
Religion vs dharma – Religion from religare means to bind or unit man with
God & man with man vs Dharma as way of life / Dhri means to sustain or
uphold, Principles which can sustain an object / Dharma & Nitti, Achar,
Sadachaar mutually complementary & interdependent.
Mahabharata - Principle which maintains society by order / Network of duties
[Rajdharma – ruler / Prajadharma – subjects / Mitradharma – friends]
Manu - Ethics is real dharma / 4 characteristics of Dharma – Vedas, smritis,
sadachar, atman
Kautilya - Supreme principles of human life based on truth / Moral law as duty
towards oneself & Civil law as duty towards others
In Customary sense - Perform rituals, appease goddess, offer deities
Thus, dharma covers wide range of subjects (laws to piety), all matter of pub
behaviour
Artha – Vritti means of livelihood for mankind
Kautilya - Advocate Maximization of wealth & territory / Eco determinism –
role of eco in human motivation & historic developments / 2 mean –
wealth(narrowly) / (broadly) Means of acquire & preserve imperial sys &
harmonize 4 Purusharthas
Kama - worldly pleasures & desires,
Upanishads - avoid it after attainment of ultimate truth
Kautilya – follow Balance & harmonious integration / king should enjoy 3
pursuit of life (charity, wealth, desire) in equal degree, all are interdependent
upon each other
Moksha
Individual - seek liberation from rebirth cycle by follow path of dharma, Artha,
kama (daily activities) / concern to attain perfection / look for person concern
with duties > rights / State duty to protect & bring perfect combination of 4
purusharthas

Varna - division of society in 4 functional classes / Vri means to select duty &
perform as per capacity [Brahmin with knowledge / Kshatriya with courage &
protection / Vaishyas with satisfy necessities of life / Shudras serve other 3
classes]
Order of priority in Scripture - Brahmin - Superior, Vaishyas – declining,
Shudras – inferior
Rigveda – 4 varnas (compare with 4 part of purusha)
Upanishads - Brahmin & Kshatriya struggle for supremacy
Ramayana - good relationship btw varnas
Mahabharat - other profession can be adopted
Kautilya - king to preserve varna sys, use danda as per varna
Manu – strict restriction on shudras

Ashrama - Shrama means to exert / 2 meaning - Place to perform exertion &

Action of perform exertion / 4 ashrama [Brahmachrya – student / Grihastha –
household / Vanaprastha – retired from household / Sanyasa – Renunciation]

Duties & Rights - Primacy to duties over rights / Individual as member of

many voluntary association, duties to perform variety of functions in relation to
these associations
[Swadharma, Varnadharma, Ashramadharma, Jatidharma, Kuladharma,
Rajdharma, Prajadharma, Mitradharma]
Varta - Vritti means of livelihood for mankind / Kautilya - 1 of 4 foundations
of polity (Trayeee, Anvikshiki, Varta, Danda)
Danda - symbolizes the king authority / king as adandya (beyond danda) / not
an essence of politics, but necessary for social order.
Manu king power of penal sanctions to maintain peace & order / Kautilya
means to acquire, preserve, grow & distribute resources

POLITICAL IDEAS
Veda – Rigveda reference of Political Institutions (Sabha, Samiti) / origin of 4
varna social order
Upanishads –Rites of horse sacrifice (Ashvamedha) symbolize pol conquest
Mahabharta (Shantiparva) cover Rajdharma, administration, taxation
Arthashastra – In 3 parts include theory of Kingship / Administration & law /
problem of diplomacy &war
Manusmriti – on kingship, legislation, dharma, danda

Kingship
Mahabharata – 2 tradition (Manu tradition - brahma send Manu to rule on
request of people for security from devils / Prithu tradition – Prithu make
commitment to protect people)
Kautilya – Manu agrees to rule when people offer to give royal dues

Element of state
Saptanga (7 elements) [King – swami / Ministers – Amatya / People & territory
– Janpada / Fort – Durga / Treasury – kosha / Armed force – bala / Ally - Mitra]

Objective of state
Kautilya - Realization of purusharthas in all ways of life / Yogakeshma – yoga
(addition of resources) + keshma (full utilization of resources) in all humans /
Limited state welfare
Manu – to maintain social order define in Vedas
Law
Manu - legal expert as advisory to king / Layered judicial structure / defined
judicial System, not leave it on king rationale
Kautilya - 4 source to settle legal controversy [Dharma - / Vyavahara –
customary law / Samastha – history, usage / Rajasasana – royal edicts] / Dharma
> customary laws, Final Interpretation by king / moral & civil laws

Administration
Favor decentralized administrative machinery to protect people’s interest /
initially several types of states later only monarchy left / Earlier king was
administrator & legislator, later due to difficulty in welfare include many
departments & decentralized system

Taxation -

Inter-state Relations - Realist views

CRITICISM
No Periodization & historicity of text / difficult to Identify primary text &
secondary commentaries / Reading text in appropriate context – denied
universal value / non-English terms / Belief in validity of Vedas / Belief in
creator & incarnation / Pride in birth-based caste / engage in violence (sacrifice)
to get rid of sins

REACTIONS
Upanishads, late Vedic were renaissance against brahmin dominance / Jain &
Buddhism, post Vedic – against traditional & dogmatic rituals, belief in Veda,
God, incarnation, brahmin superiority, favours kshatriyas / Bhaktas & Sikhs-
medieval – against birth based casteism / Islam – scholars & invaders, against
hierarchical caste sys, encourage lower caste for conversion / Reformers –
against brahmin chauvinism (Rajmohan Roy / J Phule & Ambedkar)