27  KAUTILYA’S   ‘ARTHASHAASTRA’

MadanMohan Tarun

Availability of the king

दुदर्शना हि राजानः प्रजाः नाशयन्ति। सुदर्शनाहि राजानः प्रजाः रजयन्ति। न्याययुक्तम राजानं मातरम मन्यते प्रजा।

जो राजा प्रजा को कठिनता से दर्शन देता है उसकी प्रजा उसके विरुद्ध हो जाती है। जो राजा निरन्तर प्रजा के सम्पर्क में रहता है और उसके सुख- दुख की बातें सुनता है, प्रजा उससे सदा प्रसन्न रहती है। न्याययुक्त शासक को प्रजा अपनी माँ के समान मानती है।

A king who rarely meets his subjects, subjects go against him. A king who remains in constant touch with his subjects and takes care of their problems, subjects are always happy with him. A king who runs his administration in a justified way is treated as their mother by the subjects.

(From ‘Kautilya’s ‘ARTHASHAASTRA’ by MadanMohan Tarun)