Table Of Content“Arthasashtra, a seminal text on ancient Indian statecraft primarily studied
by historians and political scientists has at long last found a brilliant
interpreter. Medha Bisht’s meticulously researched and lucidly argued work
is stunning in its scope and extremely stimulating.”
—–Pushpesh Pant, Former Professor, School of International Studies,
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
“This is a book that I was waiting for. Medha Bisht has revived and made
contemporary the political cum philosophical text of Kautilya. She navigates
and integrates the foundational Indic text and tradition seamlessly with
various disciplines. A refreshing piece of work of knowledge production.
Recommended as a text book for International Studies, social science,
strategic studies and International Relations.”
—–Pradeep Kumar Gautam, Consultant to the Indigenous
Historical Knowledge Project at the Institute for
Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi
“As scholars of political science and international relations from around the
world begin to discover the non-Western contributions to the understanding
of power, order, justice and statecraft, Medha Bisht offers a rich and
rewarding theoretical engagement with Kautilya’s Arthashastra.”
—–C. Raja Mohan, Director, Institute of South Asian Studies,
National University of Singapore
“For whatever reason, the western scholars have mostly ignored the
Arthasastra, a majestic work on statecraft by Kautilya, a third-century bc
Indian scholar and statesman. Rooted in the Hindu philosophy and the
concept of Dharma, Arthasastra, a grand strategic work, deals with the
nature of state, power, morality, ends-mean-ways, and foreign policy. Using
modern political science vocabulary, Medha Bisht inquires into Arthasastra’s
philosophy, ideas and methodology and their contemporary relevance.
Deserving wide readership, this is a serious work of scholarship aimed at
western political scientists.”
—–Arvind Gupta, Director, Vivekananda International Foundation and
Former Deputy National Security Adviser, Government of India
Kautilya’s Arthashastra
This book examines in detail the strategic relevance of the Arthashastra.
Attributed to the fourth century b.c., this classical treatise on state and
statecraft rests at the intersection of political theory and international
relations.
Adopting a hermeneutic approach, the book discusses certain homologies
related to concepts such as power, order, and morality. Underlining the
conceptual value of the Arthashastra and classical texts such as Hitopdesha
and Pancatantra, this volume highlights the non-western perspectives
related to diplomacy and statecraft. It shows how a comparative analysis of
these texts reveals a continuity rather than a change in the styles, tactics, and
political strategies. The book also showcases the value these ancient texts
can bring to the study of contemporary international relations and political
theory.
This volume will be of interest to students, scholars and teachers of
political studies, Indian political thought, and philosophy, South Asian
studies, political theory and international relations.
Medha Bisht is a Senior Assistant Professor at the Department of
International Relations, South Asian University. She has led international
projects on water governance and diplomacy in South Asia. Her research
interests include South Asia, water diplomacy, and strategic thought and
practice.
Kautilya’s Arthashastra
Philosophy of Strategy
Medha Bisht
First published 2020
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa
business
© 2020 Medha Bisht
The right of Medha Bisht to be identified as author of this work has
been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record has been requested for this book
ISBN: 978-1-138-55307-1 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-429-32933-3 (ebk)
Typeset in Sabon
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
To Ma and Ba
Contents
Preface and Acknowledgements xi
Introduction 1
PART I
A text on philosophy and strategy 9
1 Introducing Arthashastra: philosophy, concepts,
practice 11
2 The philosophical moorings: dharmashastra and
nitishastra 33
3 The strategic undertones: engaging the end-means debate 49
PART II
Exploring the feasible and desirable in Arthashastra 63
4 Morality, power and order: concepts in international
relations 65
5 Morality, order and power: a systems analysis 79
6 The Kautilyan state and statecraft: contextualizing
desirability 95
7 The Kautilyan state and statecraft: conceptualizing
feasibility 117
