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1. Kingship:
Role, Duties and
Concept of Divinity
Dr. Virag Sontakke
Assistant Professor
Center for Advanced Studies
Department of A.I.H.C. & Archaeology,
Banaras Hindu University

2. Kingship:
Role, Duties and concept of divinity

3. Kingship
Its Origin
Divine origin
Why Kingship is needed
Who will be the King
Kingship and Cast system
Qualities of the Kings
Role of the Kingship
Kingship Duties
King as a Law
holder
King as a
Servant
King as a
Trustee
Concept
of
Divinity

4. Introduction
• Monarchy was most popular type of government in
Ancient India.
• Political history of Ancient India its run along with the
Kingship.
• Monarchy in the strict sense of the term can be first
located in the Mahabharata.
• Its became more crystallized in Kautilya’s
Arthashastra.
• Koutilya represents the most developed forms of
monarchy and bureaucracy in ancient India.

5. Reference of Kingship
• The Rajan first time appear in Vedic period.
• The Vedic rajan, in the opinion of R.S. Sharma,
tends to be a tribal chief rather than an
institutionalized monarch.
• A.L. Basham finds the earliest legend about the
origin of Kingship in the later Vedic text Aitareya
Brahamana, which is of pre-Mahabharata vintage.

6. Story of Origin of Kingship
• Once upon a time, we are told, there was a war
between gods and demons.
• The Gods suffered rout, and they deliberated to
arrive at the conclusion that they needed a king to
lead them back to victory.
• They proceeded to appoint Soma, probably another
name for Indra, and defeated demons.
• The above legend reappears in a somewhat altered
version in another later Vedic text, Taitiriya
Upnishad.

7. Divine origin
According to Mahabharata: Shantiparva: First
• The people first lived in an idyllic society in its pristine
natural state in peace and harmony.
• However, degeneration set in subsequently and a state of
anarchy resulted where mastya-nyaya came to prevail.
• To get out of this predicament, the people made a collective
compact abjuring violent temper, speech and conduct, theft
or robbing of others’ wealth and wives,
• Socially cast off those who violated these norms.
• They lived by it for some time, but faced with frequent
breaches.
• Subsequently, they approached Brahma, he nominated
Manu to be the first King.
• He also stipulated dandaniti, the principles of governance.
• Thus the first King as well as laws of the government in this
theory are of divine origin.

8. Contract Theory
• There was a time when people were perfect, and lived
in a state of happiness and tranquillity.
• This perfect state lasted for ages, but there set in
rottenness.
• People gradually entered into a series of agreements
among themselves and set up the institutions of the
family and private property.
• But this gave rise to a new set of problems, theft and
other forms of unsocial conduct.
• Therefore, people assembled and agreed to choose as
chief a person who was the best favoured, the most
attractive and the most capable.
• In return they agreed to contribute to him a portion of
their paddy.

9. Necessity of Kingship
• Kingship arose out of
1. Military Necessity
2. Leadership
3. Success in War
4. Possesses Strength, Wisdom and energy

10. Why Kingship ?
1. To protect
2. Provide secure and healthy environment
3. Social conduct (dharma)
4. Wellbeing of the society
5. Religious freedom
6. Economic stability
7. Cultural progress

11. Condition in Vedik Period
• Gruh (head of the the family): Gruhpati
• Kulas (head of the families): Kulpati
• Vis (head of the Local Community): Vishpati
• Jana (Tribe): Janapati

12. Kingship and Cast System
• Four fold cast system
1. Brahman
2. Kshatriya: Kings
3. Vaishy
4. Shudra
Non Aryans: Scythians, Parthians, Hunas, Kushanas
etc.

13. Qualities of a Perfect King: Kautilya
• King must perform for the welfare of his people.
1. The king should preferably belong to the nobility,
2. Be a native of the land and follow the teachings of
the Shashtras.
3. Emphasis is laid on the King’s training in
a) Philosophy,
b) Economic sciences and
c) Political science,
• The King’s foremost duty is protection and nurture of
the society.

14. Qualities of a Perfect King: Manusmruti
1. The king should regulate his lifestyle in a proper way.
2. King should be intelligent, cultured, upright, should have
self-control, should respect the elders and the Brahmins,
3. Properly educated in the Vedas, politics, history,
agriculture, spiritual science etc.
4. He should be intelligent, free from addiction to sensuous
objects, cultured, true to his promise, backed by friends
and should adhere to the sacred texts.
5. Manu also stresses the importance of self control for the
king, he should also be careful about controlling the vices
generating from greed, desire and anger.
6. The king, for his proper guidance and training, should
select an appropriate Brahmin, and the priest of his
family.

15. Ceremonies associated with Kingship
• Rajasuya: the Rajasuya was performed kings after he completed a
digvijaya. The whole process took two years and three months and
only a consecrated Kshatriya was eligible to celebrate it.
• Vajapeya: Taittriya texts says that Vajapeya confers imperial
positions while Rajasuya only a royal dignity. Hence Vajapeya was
performed after Rajasuya ceremony. After winning the race he is
enthroned.
• Ashwamedha: The main object of this sacrifice was to assert one’s
political supremacy. In this ceremony a horse was let loose and
followed by 400 armed men who included princes and chiefs.
Normally the horse is let to roam within the territory of the patron as
the entry of the horse upon a foreign territory was considered as a
challenge to its ruler, resulting in war. When the horse returned
unmolested, a grand assembly was held by the king,

16. Role of King/Kingship
• According to Kautilya main role of the King is to attainment of
yogkema (welfare).
• Yoga= acquisition of the necessities of life
• Ksema= maintanance of the same for continued enjoyment.
• According to political Thinkers…..
1. Happiness of the people
2. Bruhaspati: facilitate the people to enjoy their life through
wealth righteously acquired
3. Kamandaka: Attainment of Trivarga (Dharma, Arth & Kama)

17. Kingship Duties
1. Upholding Social law and Order (Varnashram)
2. Security and Protection (Paalan and Raksana)
3. Material Welfare (Yogaksema)
• King may be divine, but low is above all
• Manu: King should take better precautions to act
• He should be careful to:
a) Kama (passion)
b) Krodh (Anger)
c) Lobha (Greed)
• Political Thinkers: King is exposed to error and
temptations than ordinary public

18. King as a supporter and upholder of the Law
• Follower of Dharma
• Br.Up: King should realize that there nothing higher
than Dharma
• King as a first citizen his conduct should always be
exemplary.
• Jataka: When Kings are unjust, even sugar and salt
lose their flavor.
• People happiness depends upon the Kings.
• Rv.: Under a good king prosperity with prevail.

19. King as a Servant
• Dharmasutra: King is a servant of the people because
he take 1/6 % tax of his wage.
• Koutilya also called the same.
• Narad: Taxations as the Kings pays for protection of
the folks.
• Yajurved: Taxes are paid only as a return for the
protection.
• Mahabharat: Since, the people pay tax to the king he
must serve them as a servant.

20. King as a Trustee
• King as a servant, though he collect taxes but he is not
a owner as a whole.
• Political thinkers: Treasury not a private or personal
properties of the king.
• Treasury should be utilized for public welfare.
• If king use treasury fund for personal use, he would be
guilty of sin and be condemned to Hell.
• He care for the people as a trustee.
• Agni Pu: The ideal king make self-sacrifice for the
welfare of public.
• The body of the king is not for enjoyment of pleasures
but fulfilling the Dharma.

21. Kingship: Concept
of Divinity

22. Divinity of the King
• Vedik Period:
• Doctrine of divinity was absent in vedik period.
• Doctrine of divinity of king became popular in later
period.
• During Vedik period Kingship was a secular
institution
• Purukusta: Ardh-deva (Semi-divine) (special favor
from God Indra and Varuna)
• Parikshit: God among men (Panegyrise in hyms)

23. • Post-Vedik Period:
• Victories of the king attributed to the favors of Indra.
• Often King compare himself with Indra
• At the time of Royal Coronation Priest averred that it was
by the command of Gods
• Also, ablution was given by the hands of Gods
• God like Agni, Brihaspati enters into the person of the
King, when he was anointed at the coronation.
• Ashvamedha and Vajapeya sacrifices enable the king to
party with Gods.
• He was suppose to be virtual symbol of God Prajapati.
• According to Mahabharata: Visnhu himself entered into
the body of first King.
• Manu stated that even an infant king must never be treated
with disrespect, because he is in reality a god on earth.
• Suggest doctrine of the divinity of the Kings.

24. Smritis & Puranas
• Manu: King is a great divinity in human form
• Vishnu Puran: Number of divinities resides inside the
body of King
• Bhagwat Puran: Vena, the first king had some of the
marks of Vishnu on his body.
• In Sanskrit drama: king called as Deva
• In later Buddhist text King called as “Sammutideva”
(God by convention or public opinion)
• In this period king as a divine became popular.

25. Kushanas
• Kushan: ruled 1st Century CE
• Rulers of Kushana called themselves as Devputras
(son of gods)
• On their coins Kings shown descending from clouds
and surrounded by flames.
• Their temples were also constructed where they were
worshipped as a god.

27. Functional Resembles
• Mahabharata
• Naradsmruti
• Shukraniti
• Matsya Puran
• Markendeya
Puran
• Agni Puran
• Padma Puran
• Resembles
1. Indra: w
2. Warrior
3. Fire God : king
burns wicked
4. Sun God : king
see everything
5. Yama:
Punishments
6. Kubera: give
wealth to needy
King is not a God but
Kings Functions are
Similar to Gods

28. If King is Tyrant
• King had to govern according to Dharma.
• The king could not go against the sacred customs.
• For example most common legendary tale was that of
Vena.
• This king took his divinity too seriously and forbade all
the sacrifices except to himself and confused society by
enforcing inter-class marriages.
• The rishis (divine sages) remonstrated with him, but
Vena continued with his evil acts.
• At last the exasperated sages beset him in body and
slew him with blades of sacred grass (kusa).
• This story must have served as a continuous warning to
the kings who were tempted to flout the Sacred Law.

29. King as a Decoit
• When a king begins to oppress be ceases to be divine.
• Sukra calls him a decoit, not a king.
• No one was to support such a ruler not even the
army.
• That is how the last Maurya King and the last Sunga
King were deposed with the intervention of the army.
• The purpose of kingship was good government.

30. Kings Time
Table,
According to the
Kautilya.

31. Conclusion
• Rigved: King was considered as a shepherd of the people.
• The character of the government depended upon the
character of the kingship (kings).
• Great emphasis was laid on the proper education and
training of the princes during childhood and adolescence.
• The king was expected to regard his subjects as his children
and strive for their welfare like a father.
• The political writers prescribed very exacting time table for
the king, which hardly left him with any leisure.
• Kings held their kingdom not as personal property but as
sacred trust.
• Hence the Mahabharatha says that of all dharmas (duties),
rulership is the highest in society for all times.