Kautilya Kautilya was the prime minister of the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta and the author of the oldest text on public administration in the world. Arthshastra, the ancient Indian classic (written between 300 BC and 1st century AD) offers deep insights into politics, state craft and issues of governance. In this post, notes of “ Unit 5: kautilya : Theory of state” from “ DSC – 8: Ancient and Medieval Indian Political Thought ” are given which is helpful for the students doing graduation this year. Kautilya ’s Role in Ancient Indian Politics Kautilya , also known as Chanakya, was a key figure in ancient Indian politics. He is famous for his book, the Arthashastra, which talks about running a state, military strategies, and economics. Chanakya (ISO: Cāṇakya, चाणक्य, pronunciation ⓘ), according to legendary narratives [a] preserved in various traditions dating from the 4th to 11th century CE, was a Brahmin who assisted the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta in his rise to power and the establishment of the Maurya Empire. Chanakya’s thinking ideology encourages individuals to acknowledge and understand the truths of life and society in order to surpass them and reach new levels of success
