‘This country has seen the conflict between ecclesiastical law and secular law long before Europeans sought to challenge the authority of the Pope. Kautilya’s Arthash ̄astra lays down the foundation of secular law. In India unfortunately ecclesiastical law triumphed over secular law. In my opinion this was the one of the greatest disasters in the country’.
—B.R. Ambedkar
Beginning quote of the interesting paper “Notes on Political Thought in Medieval and Early Modern South India” byVelcheru Narayanarao and Sanjay Subrahmanyam downloadable at Academia.edu
Abstract
This essays deals with a neglected and significant strand of Indian political thought by describing and analysing the corpus known as n ̄ıti in the context of medieval and early modern South India (in particular with reference to the Telugu-speaking region). Works of n ̄ıti are presented here within a larger context, as they evolve from the medieval Andhra of the Kakatiyas into the Vijayanagara period, the Nayakas, and beyond. They are also opposed and contrasted to other texts written within the broad category of dharmash ̄astra, which seem to deal with a far more conservative project for the management of society and politics within a caste-based framework. Authors and compilers dealt with include Baddena and Madiki Singana, but also the celebrated emperor-poet Krishnadevaraya (r. 1509–29). An argument is made for the continued relevance of these texts for the conduct of politics in South Asia, into and beyond the colonial period.
—B.R. Ambedkar
Beginning quote of the interesting paper “Notes on Political Thought in Medieval and Early Modern South India” byVelcheru Narayanarao and Sanjay Subrahmanyam downloadable at Academia.edu
Abstract
This essays deals with a neglected and significant strand of Indian political thought by describing and analysing the corpus known as n ̄ıti in the context of medieval and early modern South India (in particular with reference to the Telugu-speaking region). Works of n ̄ıti are presented here within a larger context, as they evolve from the medieval Andhra of the Kakatiyas into the Vijayanagara period, the Nayakas, and beyond. They are also opposed and contrasted to other texts written within the broad category of dharmash ̄astra, which seem to deal with a far more conservative project for the management of society and politics within a caste-based framework. Authors and compilers dealt with include Baddena and Madiki Singana, but also the celebrated emperor-poet Krishnadevaraya (r. 1509–29). An argument is made for the continued relevance of these texts for the conduct of politics in South Asia, into and beyond the colonial period.
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