Shishupala-vadha (Study)

by Shila Chakraborty | 2018 | 112,267 words

This page relates ‘Ubhayavetana (foreign ambassadors)’ of the study on the Shishupala-vadha (in English) in the light of Manusamhita (law and religious duties) and Arthashastra (science of politics and warfare). The Shishupalavadha is an epic poem (Mahakavya) written by Magha in the 7th century AD. It consists of 1800 Sanskrit verses spread over twenty chapters and narrates the details of the king of the Chedis.

Ubhayavetana (foreign ambassadors)

“kaṇṭakaśodhanoktā ścāpasarpāḥ pareṣu kṛtavetanā vaseyuḥ sampātinaścārārthaṃ te ubhayavetanāḥ |”

gṛhītaputradārāṃśca kuryādubhayavetanān |
tāṃścāriprahitān vidyātteṣāṃ śaucaṃ ca tadvidhaiḥ ||” (1.12. 17-19)[1]

“Spies mentioned in “The Suppression of Criminals” should live with enemies receiving wages from them, in order to find out secret information, without associating with one another. They are ‘person in the pay of both”. And he should appoint “person in the pay of both’ after taking charge of their sons and wives. And he should know such agents when they are employed by the enemies. And (he should ascertain) their loyalty through (spies of) their type.”[2]

In the fourth part of Arthaśāstra named Kaṇṭakaśodhana where their is mentioning “apasarpa” that is the spies of the vijigiṣu king getting the service with tricks take the salary from the enemy king and live there, so that he can send the secret information to his home state, those spies are called ambisalaried. They would give the information to the king through saṃsthā without any meeting with each other from the enemy state.

Saṃsthā and sañcāra the spys of king are divided into two groups again. So, Kauṭilya says there are three types of spies i.e ubhayavetana, saṃsthā and sañcāra.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

R.P. Kangle: Op.cit., part-I, p.15.

[2]:

ibid., part-II, p. 26.

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