The ARTHASHASTRA

by Chanakya

Kautilya was not the originator of the science. He himself acknowledges that his work is based on similar treatises of the past. There are in all one hundred and twelve places in the text where a number of earlier authorities and opinions held by them are mentioned. Five different schools of thought—those of Brihaspati, Ushanas, Prachetasa Manu, 3 Parasara and Ambhi—are referred to, often because Kautilya disagrees with the advice given by them. Some individual teachers of high repute, like Vishalaksha and Bharadwaja, are also quoted. From a number of quotations and references in later works, we know that there were at least four distinct schools and thirteen individual teachers of Arthashastra before Kautilya. (See Notes on Translation No.1). Unfortunately, all the earlier works are lost and Kautilya’s is the earliest text that has come down to us.