Consultation and Pañcāṅga-mantra

Through proper consultation vijigīṣu king should protect the kingdom from the enemy state and control the proper administration.

“mantrapūrvāḥ sarvāramabhāḥ”(1.15.2).^[1]

All undertaking are to be preceded by consultation. He will consult with his ministers.

In this respect Manu says—

“taiḥ sārdhvaṃ cintayentityaṃ sāmānyaṃ sandhivigraham |
sthanaṃ samudayaṃ gupti lavdhapraśamanāni ca ||” 7. 56 ||^[2]

“Let him daily consider with them the ordinary (business referring to) peace and war, sthāna (the four subjects, viz., the army, the treasury, the town and the kingdom), the sources of revenue (like fields, mines etc.), the manner of protecting (himself and his kingdom) and the sanctification of his gains (by pious gifts)”.^[3]

“teṣāṃ svaṃ svamabhiprāyamupalabhya pṛthak pṛthak |
samastānāñca kāryeṣu vidadhyāddhitamātmanaḥ ||” 7. 57 ||^[4]

It means,

“Having (first) ascertained the opinion of each (minister) separately and (then the views) of all together let him do what is (most) beneficial for him in his affairs”.^[5]

“sarveṣāntu viśiṣṭena brahmaṇena vipaścitā.
mantrayet paramaṃ mantraṃ rājā ṣāḍguṇyasaṃyutam ||”7. 58 ||^[6]

“But with the most distinguished among them all, a learned Brāhmaṇa, let the king deliberate on the most important affairs which relate to the six measures of royal policy”.^[7]

“nityaṃ tasmin samāśvastaḥ sarvakāryāṇi niḥkṣipet |
tena sārdhvaṃ viniścitya tataḥ karma samārabhet ||” 7. 59 ||^[8]

“Let him, full of confidence, always entrust to that (official) all business; having taken his final resolution with him, let him (after wards) begin to act”.^[9]

In the Arthaśāstra it is said–

“mantribhistribhiścaturbhirvā saha mantrayeta | mantrayamāṇo hyekenārthakṛcchreṣu niścayaṃ nādhigacchet | ekaśca mantrī yatheṣṭamanabagrahaścarati | dvābhyāṃ mantrayamāṇo dvābhyāṃ saṃhatābhyāmavagṛhyate bigṛhītābhyāṃ vināśyate | tat triṣu caturṣu vā naikāntaṃ kṛcchreṇopapadyate | mahādoṣamupapannaṃ tu bhavati | tataḥ pareṣu kṛcchreṇārthaniścayo gamyateṃ, mantro vā rakṣyate | deśa—kāla kāryavaśena tvekena saha dvābhyāmeko vā yathāsāmarthyaṃ mantrayeta |” (1.15.34-41).^[10]

English version says—

“He should hold consultation with three or four councillors. For, holding a consultation with one (only), he may not (be able to) reach a decision in difficult matters. And a single councillor behaves as he pleases without restraint. Holding consultation with two he is controlled by the two if united and ruined by them if at war (with each other) with three or four, that becomes possible (only) with difficulty. However, if it does become possible, it involves great danger, with more (councilors) than that, it is with difficulty that decisions on matters are reached or counsel guarded. However, in conformity with the place time and work to be done, he should deliberate with one or two, or alone by himself according to (their and his own) competence”.^[11]

He says about Pañcāṅga-mantra:

“karmaṇāmārambhopāyaḥ puruṣadravyasaṃpad deśakālavibhāgo, vinipātapratīkāraḥ kāryasiddhiriti parañcāṅgo mantraḥ |”(1.15.42).^[12]

Means,

“The means of starting undertakings, the excellence of men and materials, (suitable) apportionment of place and time, provision against failure (and) accomplishment of the work this is deliberation in its five aspects”.^[13]

“tānekaikaśaḥ pṛcchet samastāṃśca | haitubhiścaiṣāṃ matipravivekān vidyāt avāptārthaḥ kālaṃ nātikrāmayet | na dīrghakālaṃ mantrayeta, na teṣāṃ pakṣīyairyeṣāmapakuryāt |”(1.15.43-46).^[14]

It means,

“He should ask them individually as well as jointly. And he should ascertain their different opinions along with (their) reasons (for holding them) Having found a matter (for deliberation) he should not allow time to pass, He should not deliberate for a long time, nor with the partisans of those to whom he would (like to) do harm”.^[15]

The opinion of Manu and Kauṭilya regarding leads the meaning consultation more or less is the same.

Doing consult vijigīṣu king should perform his duty.

Poet Māgha was well awre about this matter. Following verses prove this.

“mama tāvanmatamidaṃ śruyatāmaṅgavāmapi |
jñātasāro'pi khalvekaḥ sandigdhe kāryavastuni ||”2.12 ||^[16]

Means,

“My opinion is this (until I have yours) Sirs, I should hear opinion of you two also. One when alone, though acquainted with the essence (of a thing) certainly doubts about the thing to be performed.”^[17]

A vijigīṣu king takes decision according to the advisory council.

Here Śrīkkṛṣṇa is the speaker. He has expressed his opinion and asked to Balarāma and Uddhava to express their opinion. Though Śrīkṛṣṇa is prudent and acquainted with the essence of a thing he believes it right to take opinion of others two about the thing to be performed.

Hari dilated upon the essential pros and cons of the whole affair. He was not at all unwilling to ride roughshod over the views of the two others whose intelligence and sagacity were not to be left at a discount. Hari knew well that however through an acquaintance he might have with the important quint essential main issues and side issues unaided opinion of a single person however prudent and penetrating. He was to count for nothing unless that was corroborated with the excellent accumulated experiences of others will known for sound sense and clear comprehension. Actuated by this principle. Hari was hankering after the salient sapience and calm consideration which he expected to find in booth Balarāma and Uddhava.

Here Māgha used the word mata which leads the meaning mantraṇāśakti used by Kauṭilya bearing the same meaning.

He is also well aware about Pañcāṅgamantra.

“sarvakāryyaśarīreṣu muttvāṅgaskandhapañcakam |
saugatānāmivātmānyo nāsti mantro mahībhṛtām ||” 2.28 ||^[18]

“As the Buddhists have no other soul save and except the five groups, so kings in their affairs have no counsel save and except the five divisions”.^[19]

A vijigīṣu king should apply the pancāṅgañga mantra before the beginning of his act.

According to Buddihistic philosophy, there is no separate entity of soul.

According to this philosophy life is some total of the five skandhas—

1. rūpa,
2. vedanā,
3. vigñāna,
4. saṃjñā and
5. saṃskāra.

Buddhist maintain that soul is the grand totality of the five skandhas. It has no distinct existence separate from them. So the authors of political science hold that there is no counsel or mantra other than the five aṅga’ s or branches. Sahāya, sādhanopāya, deśakālabibhāga, bipatti, pratīkāra and siddhi to be adopted by a king. In order to ensure supreme success a powerful potentate should not leave these five aṅga’ s at a distant under any circumstances. To live by them and to live in them should be the opus magnum of a cautious king’s life.

Mallinātha’s commentary—Sandhyādīni—these are the six expedients or policies–

1. “sandhi or peace i.e. conciliation.
2. vigraha or quarrel.
3. yāna or march towards an enemy.
4. āsana or remaining inactive.
5. dvaidha or duplicity.
6. saṃśraya or taking the protection of a strong power.

“saṃkhyāyāḥ saṃñjāsaṃgha sūtrādhyayaneṣu”— a proper affix is added to a saṃkhā or numeral in the sense of parimāna indicating saṃṅgā or name saṅgha or collection, sūtra or rules and adhyana or study.

[karmaṇāmārabhopāya …. mantro nāsti.]

The five branches are,

1. The means for beginning actions.
2. Prosperity of men and materials.
3. Division of time and place.
4. Remedying of evils.
5. Success of action.

These have been described by Kāmandaka, Thus.

1. sahāyāḥ or allies.
2. sādhanopāyāḥ or the means of accomplishing a project
3. bibāgadeśakālayoḥ or division of time and place.
4. bipatyeśca pratikāraḥ or remedying of evils and.
5. siddhiḥ or success These are the five aṅgas.

The five skandhas—or forms of mundane consciousness are:

1. rūpaskandha—The external objects of sense
2. vedanāskandha—The consciousness thereof by sensation and perception.
3. bijñānaskandha—ālaya bijñāna santāna—Train of self cognitions or internal cognitions.
4. saṃ gṅāskandhanāmaskandha-names of things.
5. saṃskāra skandha-bāsanā prapañca—Love, hatred, pride, self conceit etc.

“The Buddhists maintain that ātmā or soul is nothing but the train of consciousness veering round these five forms. As Buddhists have no soul save and except the five skandha’s or groups, so kings have no counsel bearring the five divisions”.^[20]

Here poet Māgha used the word mantra instead of the word mantraśakti. The word mantra śakti is used by kauṭilya with the same meaning.

Again he says—

“vuddhiśastraḥ prakṛtyastra ghanasaṃvṛtikañcukaḥ |
cārekṣaṇo dūtamukhaḥ puruṣaḥ ko'pi pārthivaḥ ||” 2.82 ||^[21]

“The monarch is extraordinary whose intellect is his weapon, whose various parts of his state are his limbs whose close counsel is his armour, whose spies are his eyes and whose messengers are his mouth.”

“Ordinary runs of monarchs are not expected to be praise worthy, paragons of administrative excellence. The king who strikes down his enemy by dint of his sober intellegence, who indentified the parts of his body such as hands, feet, head etc. with various members of his state such as master, minister, allies etc. i.e. who considers these members of the state to be his veritable limbs wherewith he can move an act, whose close counsel serves the purpose of a strong armour, who sees not with his own eyes but with his eye-like spies who speaks through the mouth of his messengers, is indeed a rich rarity for whom it is foolish and futile to look for a parallel.”^[22]

Above verses prove Māghas knowledge about consultation and pañcāṅga-mantra. Here the poet used the word saṃvṛti instead of the word mantra or mantraśakti which is used by Kauṭilya bearing the same meaning.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

R.P. Kangle: Op. cit., part-I, p. 18.

[2]:

Manabendu Bandyopadhaya: Op.cit., p. 657.

[3]:

Ashokanath Shastri: Op.cit., pp. 70-71.

[4]:

Manabendu Bandyopadhaya: Op.cit., p. 658.

[5]:

Ashokanath Shastri: Op.cit., p.72.

[6]:

Manabendu Bandyopadhaya: Op.cit., p. 658.

[7]:

Ashokanath Shastri: Op.cit., p.72.

[8]:

Manabendu Bandyopadhaya: Op.cit., p. 658.

[9]:

Ashokanath Shastri: Op.cit., p.73.

[10]:

R.P. Kangle: Op.cit., part-I, p. 20.

[11]:

ibid., part-II, pp. 34-35.

[12]:

ibid., part-I, p. 20.

[13]:

ibid., part-II, p. 35.

[14]:

ibid., part-I, p. 20.

[15]:

ibid., part-II, p. 35.

[16]:

Haridas Siddhantavagisha: Op.cit., p. 51.

[17]:

Sitanath Kavyaratna & Madhab Dass Sankhyatirtha: Op.cit., p. 38.

[18]:

Haridas Siddhantavagisha: Op.cit., p. 59.

[19]:

Sitanath Kavyaratna & Madhab Dass Sankhyatirtha: Op.cit., p. 82.

[20]:

ibid., pp.84-85.

[21]:

Haridas Siddhantavagisha: Op.cit., p. 85.

[22]:

Sitanath Kavyaratna & Madhab Dass Sankhyatirtha: Op.cit., pp. 234-235.