Sandwiched at an angle between Crawford Hall and the Maharaja's College, separated by the junction known as Kautilya Circle, is the haloed Oriental Research Institute housing huge number of papyrus and invaluable manuscripts written on palm leaves as was the practice in the ancient times.

I understand the circle next to this building was named Kautilya Circle (Kautilya Vrutha) for the reason that the greatest ever discovery of this Institute was the discovery of the original palm - leaf manuscript of Kautilya's Economic Treatise (Kautilya Arthashastra). Our city's renowned Sanskrit Scholar R. Shama Sastry was credited with the editing of this great work for the first time, which later became famous all over the world among the learned. That was in 1909. However, Kautilya, more famously known as Chanakya, apart from a number of other names he has, was known to scholars and historians much earlier too but rather as someone buried in the limbo of Puranas (Mythology) and ancient history.

For long there was doubt, as about Sri Ramachandra in relation to Ayodhya dispute, whether Chanakya was a historical person or a mythological character or just a myth created by writers, playwrights and research scholars.

With the original palm - leaf manuscript available, that myth is shattered and Chanakya is now recognised as a historic person who lived about the year 300 BC. His name thus appeared in Vishnu Purana and other works of the period. But more importantly his story is related at length in Vishakadatta's famous drama Mudra Rakshasa of the 8th Century AD. A good 1,000 years later!

Surprisingly, no Indian ever thought of doing research; much less write, on such an important person (leader, thinker, diplomat et al), the founder of Maurya dynasty. A foreigner, Demetrios Galanus, a Greek scholar born in Athens, did that work. He came to India in 1786 and settled in Calcutta. I gleaned these in formations from a book in Kannada titled simply 'Chanakya' by Su. Rudramurthy Sastry, MA, a historical novel I picked up from my friend's house where it lay unopened and naturally unread. Who has time these days to read a tome of over 1,000 pages? The fore ward and the author's notes provided lot of information about the dramatis personae of the book.

History says Chanakya appointed Shakata, the Prime Minister of Nanda the King who loses his kingdom to Chanakya's protégé Chandragupta, as the PM of Chandragupta. A masterstroke. I was reminded of how Hyder Ali and later Tipu Sultan of Mysore Kingdom appointed Dewan (Prime Minister) Poornaiah, who was the Dewan of the Wadiyars earlier, as their PM and later when British defeated Tipu, once again it was Dewan Poornaiah whom British appointed as the Dewan (PM) of the restored Wadiyar dynasty. History repeats itself...

Chanakya, knowing the risk of a war entailing destruction of property and death, through his scheming succeeded in changing over the kingdom from Nanda to his protégé Chandragupta without war and bloodshed. I think US President George W. Bush may well do a reading of Chanakya's thoughts instead of carpet - bombing Afghanistan, Iraq and planning to do the same to Iran.

Taxila (Thakshashila), the ancient University and centre of education, was so famous it attracted students and scholars from all over the world, says history. Chanakya was a teacher here and Chandragupta his famous, favourite student — like Aristotle and Alexander the Great.

What could have been the reason for Chanakya to establish a powerful empire under Maurya dynasty and also to write a number of treatises, especially on Statecraft and Economics?

According to the author of this book Su. Rudramurthy Sastry, the reasons could be three:
1. Conversion of Hindus to Buddhism in large numbers. (Buddhism dates back to 500 BC).
2. Cruel Kings Nanda and Aambika were destroying the peace and prosperity of their subjects because of misrule.
3. Invasion of India by a foreigner like Alexander.

Sadly, all these three evils seem to continue even to this day in our country. Conversion is going on and we read about it in newspapers daily. Our present day rulers are destroying our peace and prosperity, as we all know from personal experience and from newspapers and TV, because of corruption and misadministration. And attempts to invade India have been going on by our northern neighbors — China, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Already China and Pakistan are in possession of our land. Add to this, the economic invasion, in the name of liberalization and globalisation, by the western countries.

According to Mahabharatha, the great Indian (Hindu) epic, during all such crises, Lord Krishna says, he will take avatar to destroy evil and establish righteousness in the country. Perhaps around 300 BC, Chanakya came as an avatar to check the three evils mentioned above. And look at today's situation. Are we not justified if we urge the Almighty to take the avatar once more to save this our land?

Tailpiece:
The truth about historical novels is that there is no truth in them, according to a western literary critic. Well, when we cannot expect truth even in history books, why grumble about novels — historical or otherwise. Read for the sheer joy of reading please.

By K. B. Ganapathy
Chief Editor,
Star of Mysore,
Mysore

Click here if you would like to Contribute or send a feedback.
Click here to go to the main page of Star of Mysore.
Click here to read more articles from Mr. K. B. Ganapathy.