The Arthashastra

Written around 400 B.C. by Kautilya, the 'Indian Machiavelli,' The Arthashastra was thought lost for more than a thousand years. It was rediscovered in 1905, when scholar Rudrapatnam Shamashastry was asked to catalogue an unpromising pile of palm leaf manuscripts — and suddenly found himself holding a complete copy of the long-lost masterpiece. Shamashastry published an English translation in 1915 to worldwide acclaim. Until that time, Western orientalists believed that Indian government had copied their structure from the Greeks, following Alexander the Great's incursion into the subcontinent. Now it was plain that the art of government and kingship was an indigenous achievement, with Greek administrations possibly copying that of India. This Indian classic is a comprehensive guide for kings on the means — foul or fair — of running a viable state. It covers taxes on prostitutes, care of livestock, elephant training, battle tactics, making alliances, and the use of deception, threat, and kidnapping to further royal policy. Also included are magical incantations and methods of neutralising enemies by ambush, poison, and the use of fiery spies.