Main Features of the Indian Political Thinking
Keywords:
impulse, philosopher, faith, reverence, curiosityAbstract
Indian Political thinking is one of the most developed political thinking in the history of political thought.
The impulse for philosophy in general and political philosophy in particular may originate in curiosity or in doubt or in faith. According to the Greeks knowledge arises from curiosity. “You Greeks are always boys; there is not an old man among you; you are young in your souls,” said the Egyptian priest in Plato’s Timaeus. He was right. They were a race of seekers after unknown truth. “All men want to know” said Aristotle and he added “the feeling of wonder makes the true Philosopher, for this is the only source of Philosophy.” It is because of this curiosity that Greece is one of the mainsprings of civilization.
In contrast, European Political thinking arose from doubt.
According to the tradition of Indian thinkers’ source of knowledge is faith or reverence. The Bhagwad Gita makes it quite clear that knowledge can be attained only through reverence and the skeptics are bound to be ruined.
References
Dr. Bhandarkar, Some Aspects of Ancient Indian Polity, Banaras 1929
D. Mackenzie Brown, The White Umbrella, 1980
M. K. Gandhi, Hindu Dharma, Ahmedabad, Navajivan 1850, p-157
A. Perumal and V. Venkatisan “Quest for order in modern India political thought” The Indian Journal Of Political Science, vol- 47, No-2 April-June 1956, pp-279-88
Bhikhu Parekh “Some Reflections on the Hindu Tradition of Political Thought” in Thomes Pantham and Kenneth L Deutsch (eds) Political Thought in Modern India (New Delhi: Sage Publications 1986), pp-17-31
Of all Aryan Gods, Varana war ethically the highest. He was always aware of the deeds of men and war omnipresent. Two men, even in the most secret of places or at the end of the earth, cannot make plans alone – a third person, Varuna is always there. He abhorred sin, or that which was not comfortable to Rta. Not only did Varuna punish the sins of individual, he visited the sins of his ancestors upon his, and his ubiquity ensured that there was no escape for the sinner. See A. L. Basham, The Wonder That Was India (New Delhi: Rupa and co 1992), Paperback edition 18th impression, pp-238-39.
It is interesting to note that the two concepts – Rta and Dharma were different at one time, gradually became one. This fusion of Rta (that which is right and true) with Dharma (that which is moral) was highly significant as it lent to Dharma some moral content and meaning supporting the connection between Rta and Dharma Brihadaranyak Upnisad 1; 4, 14 states; “Brahaman was not strong enough. Hence he created still further that excellent form righteousness. This righteousness is the controller of Ksatriya. Therefore, There is nothing higher than that. So even a weak man hopes to defeat a stronger man through righteousness, as one contenting with the king. That righteousness is verily truth. Hence if a man speaks truth they say he speaks the Dharma, they say he speaks the truth.”
“Js;kULo/keksZ foxq.k% ij/kkHkkZRLouqf"Bkrkr A Lo/kesZ fu/kua Ja;% ij/keksZ Hk;kog%AA Gita 3-35
In Shantiparva of the Mahabharat, Arjun says that if there is no scepter in the world, people would punish and the stronger would the weaker just as fishes do in water. In the words of the Ramayana: “Where the land is kingless, the son does not honour his father, nor the wife her husband.” Kautilya also says, “It is Danda alone that exercised by an impartial king in proportion to the guilt of the of the offender either over his or on his enemy, can maintain both this world and the next,” Kautilya, Arthasastra, iii.i 150
A. R. Mehta, Ideology, Moderation and Politics in India (New Delhi:Manohar 1983), p-74
Norman D. Palmer, “Indian and Western Political Thought: Coalescence or Clash”. American Political Science Review, Vol, 59, no 3, September 1955, p.761
See Jawahar Lal Nehru, The Discovery of India (New Delhi: Penguin books, 2004 edn), p-284
See Vishwanath Pd. Varma, “Religion and Politics in the Vedas, Review of Politics Vol Xii, no-1-2, Jan-June and July-Dec, 2004, pp.7-24
“vFkks u jkT;a e`xr`".kk:fira”” The Bhagavata 10.37.14
“jkT;a uSPNn~ ;fr% fi=k nIra rRifj.kkefor A ;= izfo"V% iq:"k vkReua ukcq/;rsA ” Ibid,10.37.10
Ibid,10.37.12
Ibid, 10.37.20
Vivekanand Works, Vol-5, p-35
