The State and organizations of Kingdoms

Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana

by Chaitali Kadia | 2021 | 91,183 words

This page relates 鈥楽tate and organizations of Kingdoms鈥� of the study on the historical elements of the Matsya-purana: one of the eighteen Mahapuranas which are Sanskrit texts that have preserved the cultural heritage, philosophy, religion, geography, etc of ancient India. This Matsyapurana was originally written in 20,000 verses and deals with topics such as architecture, ancient history, polity, religion and philosophy.

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The State and organizations of Kingdoms

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Now about the state is discussed. There are ancient and modern thought about the state. Modern thinkers believe that the state is the resource of a particular region, government, population and sovereignty. Ancient thinkers, on the other hand, think that the kingdom is made up of seven elements.

This 鈥�厂补辫迟腻苍驳补 鈥� theory is also accepted by the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . this 鈥�厂补辫迟腻苍驳补 鈥� mentioned in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 are^[1] :

厂惫腻尘墨 (Master),
Mantri (Minister),
搁腻峁ａ弓谤补 (State),
Durga (Fort),
厂别苍腻 (Army) and
Mitra (Ally).

In other words, administrative arrangements, economic self-sufficiency, adequate means of defense, and recognition of other states were considered essential elements for the formation of a particular region. The king is the root of this kingdom of seven. As chief, he protects the people and the kingdom.^[2] The king should carefully protect the last six limbs of the 鈥�厂补辫迟腻苍驳补 鈥�. The king should kill the fool who rebels against any one of these six limbs. It is not necessary to add a soft heart to the king because a soft heart to the king because a soft hearted king is doomed to defeat. Again, even if a very hard heart is added, the people will be worried about the strict rule. A king who is gentle in time and hard in time is suitable for the kingdom. The king will never make fun of his servants because in times of joy the servant may insult the king. The king must be free from all addiction. The king should always speak with a soft smile. The king must always be associated with great goals. The king should not be delayed in any work. The king should always keep his advice secret because if all the advice is revealed, the king has to face many objections. The king is always the key to the kingdom, so the king must always be protected from divisions (MP-220/21-36).

Now what is described in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 about government is discussed. It is beautifully said in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . The king is the root of the tree of people so the king should always be protected. Only when the king is saved does the state improve. So all the people must be careful to protect the king.^[3] In the Vedic age, the king was considered the government, but in the Aitereya Brahman , different classes of masters were adopted in the matter of government.^[4]

In the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 also some terms or classes are especially noteworthy in this regard鈥�

础诲丑颈谤腻箩补 :

It is said in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 that Candra (Moon) on the day of Koumudi festival in the city of Tripura, he formed an 础诲丑颈谤腻箩测补 (empire) by removing all darkness with his wife Rohini.^[5] In the Vedas , the 础诲丑颈谤腻箩补 is considered to be the ruler. In the Atharva Veda , Indra is identified as 础诲丑颈谤腻箩补 (Av-6/98/1). In the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 also Adhipati is called 础诲丑颈谤腻箩补 .

Cakravartin :

The Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 discusses a clear description and complete characteristics of Cakravartin . The Cakravartin emperor will originate from the part of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 when iniquity rises in every past, present and future of the Tret膩 Yuga in every Manvantara . These Cakravartin emperors will be long lived, 惭补丑腻产补濒颈 , give punishment, great yogi, 驰补箩帽补辫补谤腻测补苍补 , and Brahmanistha . Their eyes will be huge like lotus petals, full mouth, well organized body, their chest will be wide like a lion, they will walk like great mighty and gajaraja and their incomparable arm strength like great archer and Peepal tree.^[6] The strength, religion, happiness and wealth of the Cakravartin are very strange and auspicious. Their religion, money, work, fame and victory are all obtained. Emperors endowed with lordship and power are also superior to sages in Aishwarya, Anima adi Siddhi , 艢补蝉迟谤补箩帽补苍补 and and 罢补辫补蝉测腻 . The hair of their head extends to the forehead, the tongue is large, transparent and smooth, its limbs, are bright red. They have four jaws and all the royal sings are attached. They have fleshy shoulders equal to those of a lion. They have Cakras and fish on their feet and conch and lotus marks on their hands.^[7] In the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 , Kartavirya Arjuna is called as Cakravartin^[8] and also Mahamanasa has been called the Cakravartin emperor (MP-48/14).

贰办补谤腻迟补 :

It is said in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 that when someone dies in the field of Dhautapapa , he becomes the devotee of the mighty 艢颈惫补 and becomes the absolute ruler of the world.^[9] It is further stated in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 that the person who worships Rudrakot on the Amarkantaka mountain becomes an absolute emperor when he is born on the earth.^[10] Mah膩padmananda has long been called the absolute emperor or Ekacchatra in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 (MP-272/19).

厂腻尘补苍迟补 (Feudal):

The 厂腻尘补苍迟补 (feudal) lord mentions that Pulaka will kill his lord and anoint his son at that place and that son will be worshiped by the feudal lords only for his own strength. It is mentioned in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 that the 艢耻苍驳补 kings will also be captured by the feudal kings.^[11] A king should live where the feudal lords live (MP-217/1).

厂腻谤惫补产丑补耻尘补 (Sovereign):

驰补测腻迟颈 is called the sovereign king (MP-42/22, 38/14). Sudharma鈥檚 son was also a sovereign king. He was also declared the sole Cakravartin emperor on the earth (MP-49/71, 72).

Samrata (Emperor):

The king who conquered India is called the emperor (MP-114/15). K膩rtavirya and Mah膩m膩nasa are called 鈥�厂补辫迟补诲惫墨辫别艣惫补谤补 鈥� (MP-43/14, 48/14). The person who donates 鈥�Guraparvata 鈥� by appropriate rules is worshiped by Gandarva and is established in the Gauriloka . And after passing a hundred Kalpas , he became long-lived and healthy and became the ruler of 鈥�厂补辫迟补诲惫墨辫补鈥� (MP-85/9). He can also become the ruler of the seven islands by donating 鈥�艢补谤办补谤补-艢补颈濒补诲补苍补 鈥� (MP-92/15).

Now the question is how this monarchy would have been specific? Wouldn鈥檛 that have been in the electoral system for generations? There are many doctrines in this regard. However, it is mentioned in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 that when the situation of was came to the fore, Dharm膩tm膩 Manu anointed his eldest son Il膩 on the throne and went to Mahendra mountain to perform austerities himself.^[12] The genealogy shows that if a king had many sons, the eldest son would sit on the throne. For example, 碍耻产补濒腻艣惫补 had three sons鈥揇rid膩艣va, Danda and 碍补辫颈濒腻艣惫补. In that case the Drid膩艣va will be the next king, not the other two (MP-12/31). Similarly, king 惭腻苍诲丑腻迟腻 had three sons鈥�Purukutsa, Dharmasena and Mucukund. In this case also the eldest son Purukutsa and his successors sit on the throne (MP鈥�12/35).

However, this rule is also seen to be violated in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . 驰补测腻迟颈 proclaims his youngest son Puru as king. When the Brahmins asked why he had made this decision ever though he had an eldest son, 驰补测腻迟颈 showed the reason for his dissatisfaction and said that no one but Puru had agreed to give him youth. And the demon guru 艢耻办谤腻肠腻谤测补 also said that the son who will give youth to 驰补测腻迟颈 will be the next king (MP鈥�35/15, 36/5). The people also made this decision because Puru was a real patriarch, worthy, honest and loving. So despite being the youngest, Puru was the greatest (MP鈥�34/26, 27).

On the other hand, the people could also choose their king. For example, 笔谤补迟墨辫补 has three sons鈥�顿别惫腻辫颈, 艢腻苍迟补苍耻 and 叠补丑濒墨办补. Due to 顿别惫腻辫颈鈥檚 leprosy, the people did not pay their respects to him and appointed 艢腻苍迟补苍耻 as king and 顿别惫腻辫颈 became a saint and went to the forest.^[13] Despite beingblind, king Dyumatsen膩, who was the father of Satyav膩na and the father-in-law of 厂腻惫颈迟谤颈, was brought back to the kingdom by the people with affectionate burial and declared their king. It is to be noted here that 厂腻惫颈迟谤颈 sought the vision of her father-in-law as a gift to Yama.^[14] Theology and ethics also say that if the eldest son suffers from any physical or mental illness such as leprosy, blindness, etc. then the next son will sit on the king鈥檚 seat, excluding him.

However, it should be noted here that the word 鈥�Gana 鈥� has been used in many meanings in the Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 . Such as鈥�Dala^[15], Khidmatgar .^[16] and 笔补办峁诲补濒补 .^[17] It has been said that all kinds of problems are created by the 痴颈苍腻测补办补 on the ruler of this people. In addition to the monarchical and aristocratic states, there was also the government of the Republic of Ancient India. Although there are detailed descriptions on this subject in other literatures, Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 does not give any example on this subject.

In ancient India, like in modern times, a king had a cherished ambition to be the absolute ruler. That is why he wanted to rise to power by attacking and conquering. As a model for this expansion of the kingdom, provision was made for the kings to perform 础艣惫补尘别诲丑补 and 痴腻箩补辫别测补 sacrifices. At that time there was a great lack of communication and travel, so the government was forced to divide and rule the different states separately. And other states were known as 础苍驳补谤腻箩测补 . There were also many states who established themselves as friends of the powerful state. They were called allied kingdoms. These states aided the central principal state in times of war and fought for that state.

The Matsya 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 describes the organizations of all these kingdoms under certain names, e.g.鈥�Vijigisu (MP-228/3, 4), Akranda, 笔腻谤峁ａ箛颈驳谤补丑补 (MP-240/2). The position of this Mandala is explained with the help of diagrams.