Question

With reference to the sources of information on the Mauryan Empire, explain briefly the significance of the following: Arthashastra

Answer 1

Arthashastra - Of all the literary sources on the history of the Mauryas, the most important source is the Arthashastra written by Kautilya, also known as Vishnugupta and Chanakya. Arthashastra contains 6000 shlokas and is divided into 15 sections and 180 subjects. It is written in Sanskrit. These subjects deal with politics, rules of diplomacy, principles of administration, and other political topics. This book was discovered in 1909.