THE ECONOMY IN CHANAKYA'S TIME

Chanakya is known as the founding father of economic study in India. In Chanakya’s time provinces struggled with each other frequently. Be it foreign invasion or internal struggle for supremacy, every event happened because of economic interests. The Aryans and non-Aryans fought many battles just to conquer some resources, which were either scarce or not available in their regions. Due to these new acquisitions, the economic condition of the provinces changed for the better. Behind the rosy scenes of economic prosperity, the toil of the slave community was the reason. The slaves used to do all the work, ranging from farmers and soldiers to servants and entertainers. Later on, these communities formed the middle class of the society. Since the society was a feudal one, exploitation was at its extremes at places. The poor became poorer and the rich became richer. In the initial stages, there were battles for the ownership of cattle and other kinds of livestock. As time went by, the struggle shifted its goal to slaves and lands. The increase in resources heightened the stakes for the rulers. Now there were more benefits in fighting wars than working towards the development of resources. The economic division of the society was based on the ownership of wealth – in monetary terms or in kind. The time saw the absence of a middle class in the society; because of which the wealthy minority exploited the majority of poverty stricken people. The tension between the Aryans and non-Aryans decreased gradually as they started coming closer to each other through cultural exchanges and economic relations. As these two communities mingled with each other, it formed the basis for the present day India. The cordial relations saw the emergence of trade relations and overall prosperity of the region. The specter of development, struggle, wars, politics and social changes was controlled and dominated by economic necessities and dynamics.

CHANAKYA—The Psyche and Persona

The notion that ancient India could be associated only with spiritualism and philosophy was demystified by the great statesman – Chanakya. Even in today’s space age, we are not able to unite the country. Whereas, Chanakya established the Mauryan Empire and unified the country when horses were the fastest mode of travel. It has amazed thinkers and philosophers down the centuries pondering over the reasons behind the influential status of Chanakya. For this great pioneer economist and administrator, both his psyche and persona helped him amass power and make kings out of ordinary people like Chandragupta. He was a great scholar and a farsighted philosopher. Chanakya always criticized the state mechanism because of the exploitative nature of rule in the country. His philosophy of life gave birth to the monumental book called "Nitishastra", an in depth study on the ideal way of living. Solemn and sober by nature, he gave deep thought to the seemingly trivial things. At the same time, he was not humorless. Being a bachelor didn’t make him uninteresting. In fact he was a jovial person with a typical wit and character. Once, replying to a question on his marriage by a lady, he said, "How can I marry? I didn’t come across a lady like you in the past."

• The Inspiring Teacher of Taxila

Among the multitude of teachers, Chanakya was the most prominent of all. He was addressed with many names—Chanakya, Vishnugupta and Kautilya. He taught philosophy, law, archery, logic, ayurveda and many other branches of study. So great was his knowledge that kings, princes and scholars became his students. Alongwith 101 princes, he guided and taught more than 500 students. He coached students irrespective of their caste and creed; but on a condition – the student should have the intention to study and have the talents to excel. To deceive him was impossible. "Just a glance was enough to know a person," according to him. When Chandragupta met Chanakya for the first time, he instantly figured out his abilities and got him admitted to his educational center at Taxila. As a teacher, he always stressed the importance of practical knowledge than bookish knowledge. Chanakya was an inspirational teacher who metamorphosed the basic character of the student so that he becomes a good citizen, a righteous ruler and a great intellectual.

• Chanakya – the Philosopher and Politician

Chanakya gave a taste of his wisdom and political tactics to the best of scholars and the most unscrupulous of rulers. One of the great scholars of the time, Indradutt commented on Chanakya saying,

"Vishnugupt, the son of the eminent scholar Chanak is a genius in his own right. India has never seen a scholar; philosopher and an adroit politician like him. Your majesty, you must take his advice and opinion before taking a decision if you want to succeed."

Whatever has been said and written about Chanakya is not an exaggeration in any sense. Since the great political leader and statesman is shrouded behind unauthentic references and volumes of written work on him. So, while working on Chanakya, it is but natural that the authenticity and originality of the details will be questioned. Every aspect of Chanakya – from his name to his hometown and the very existence of the personality has been controversial. Some foreign scholars have gone to the extent of saying that he was an imaginary character who was developed to sight reasons for the unification of India on the face of foreign invasion. Critics opined that India was basically a fragmented pieces of land and it was never united or one. They argued that even the thought of a united India came only in the 1900s as a result of exploitation and oppression by the British’s. In this way, critics mock at the very predicament that somebody in the third century BC would have thought of "India" as a country. Even the credit of the freedom movement and the unity of the country have been given to the Britishers. Because of the existence of hypothesis and suppositions, a very blurred picture about his thoughts and persona appears.

Critics generally quote him by saying, "As far as his political career is concerned, he has been described as a ruthless administrator and an autocrat. He never had an open mind to accept his fallacies. In his time, he cleverly siphoned off the exchequer and misled the rulers to satisfy his own needs."

Chanakya has been aptly described by Jawaharlal Nehru in his "Discovery of India" as the personality that changed the political map of ancient India.

To quote a paragraph from the "Discovery of India",

"Chanakya has been called the Indian Machiavelli and to some extent the comparison is justified. But he was a much bigger person in every way, greater in intellect and action. He was no more a follower of a king, a humble advisor of an all-powerful emperor. Bold and scheming, proud and resourceful, never forgetting his purpose, availing himself of every advice to delude and defeat the enemy, he sat with the reins of empire in his hands and looked upon the emperor more as a loved pupil than as a master. Simple and austere in life, uninterested in the pomp and pageantry of high position, when he redeemed his pledge and accomplished his purpose, he wanted to retire, Brahmin like, to a life of contemplation. There was hardly anything Chanakya would have refrained from doing to achieve his purpose: he was unscrupulous enough, yet he was also wise enough to know that this very purpose might be defeated by means unsuited to the end."