Politics in the Matsya Purāṇa (Introduction)

Education of political infrastructure helps us to know what the elements of politics are and what the relationship between them is. Political theory informs us about the beginning and end of a state, its structure and its limitations. This political education has also included the issues of government formation and inter-state relations which have more impact on the infrastructure of a state.

Now the question is from which political thought the state or king originates. Many scholars have given a lot of information in answer to this question. `Two of them are impersonal source information and contract information which has been acknowledged by political philosophers in Brāhmanical and Buddhist literature. These two theories have been described in context. They acknowledge a perfect Puranic age when men were free from the various weakness of human nature. Then gradually that era faced decay, degeneration which resulted in the origin of the king. There is another conclusion about the origin of the king which shows that the origin of the king came from military necessity. It is said in the Aitareya Brahmāṇa that the gods were defeated in battle by the demons because they had no king. So they appointed Soma as king so that they could win the war (AB-1/14). This examples proves that the kingdom was formed out of military necessary and the reason for their defeat was the absence of a king. From all these discussions it is clear that anarchy is the source of kings and kingdoms.

The Matsya Purāṇa also believed that the kingdom was created to protect the kingless country, especially when the oppression of the Brahmins began. If Beṇa does not abandon the path of iniquity, the Brahmins kill him and create a warrior named Pṛthu from Ben’s body as the protector of the Brahmins.^[1] The horrific destruction of the young, the old, the poor, the maids, the brāhmins, the women and the widows is the evil of the anarchic state and the resemblance of a fisherman to this disgusting scene, in which a big fish swallows a small fish. The Matsya Purāṇa also says that if there is no penal system in the state, and then the boy, the old man, the monk, the brāhmin, the women and the widow will be devour each other like a fish. If the king does not provide punishment, then gods, demons, snakes, animals and birds will also violate the dignity.^[2] Anarchy was created at the end of Kali Yuga . No one helped anyone. Everyone was afraid from everyone.^[3] Such was the atmosphere of the horrors of Kali Yuga . From all these examples it is clear that the Matsya Purāṇa has given enough descriptions of the horrors and anarchy of the society of that era. And insisted on the creation of kings and kingdoms for the purpose of saving everyone from that horrible environment.

The Matsya Purāṇa recalls the period of Kṛta , in which kings, brāhmins, Vaiśas and Śudras were all associated with their own work. They always did their duty and there was no anarchy (MP-165/3). It is said in the Matsya Purāṇa that Brahma created the king with the help of the gods to execute punishment for the protection of all living beings. The duties of the king and his characteristics are also mentioned. The king is as bright as the sun so no one can look at him. When the people are happy to see the king, he is like the moon. Just as the Yama punishes everyone when the times comes, so theking has tobe neutral about the punishment. It is called Yamavrata . The king has to take the vow of Varuna. Just as Varuna sidesteps sinners, so the king must punish sinners by this Varuna vow. The king must be equally radiant and majestic to the sinful, naughty feudal lords and jealous ones by holding the fire vows. Just as the earth contains all the animals, so the king will protect all the animals by taking earthly vows. Just as Indra protects the people by giving rain, so the king also has to give welfare to the people by donating voluntarily. This is called Indra Vrata . The king will take taxes from his prajas just like the sun takes water from the all animals. Just as Maruta can enter into all creatures, so too the king has a provision to appoint spies among all creatures by Maruta vows. Therefore, a king like Indra, Surya, Vāyu, Yama, Varuna, Chandramā, Agni, Maruta and the earth must be equally radiant (MP-226).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Matsya Purāṇa–Chapter 225/9, 10

[2]:

Matsya Purāṇa–Chapter 144/67

[3]:

Matsya Purāṇa–Chapter 220/19