calanus or Kalyana muni - danda niti

[Guest guest]

Smritis, the books of law are mostly written by Brahmins of South

India. Bharadwaja, Bodhayana and Apastamba are some important names

who have contributed to law making of Ancient India.

 

However, my earlier messages could demonstrate that there could some

important law givers in Jains too, since Calanus, a Jain monk of 4th

century BCE, has demonstrated a good sense of governance. Canakya who

has written the all important Artha sastra in its oldest version was

appropriated by Jain traditions and it is said he is a South Indian.

 

Governance is popularly called Danda niti (For a good treatment of the

word, see Altekar's State and Government in Ancient India)

 

Danda also means a staff. One of the very few items allowed by Jainism

to be owned by its monks is a staff. Perhaps, it is this allowance

that might have led to the later tradition in Indian Sanyasis to hold

a staff, calling themselves Danda swamis.

 

It is interesting to trace the word Danda niti to the staff of the

Gymnosophists rather than to Royal Sceptres.

 

Any comments?

 

Kishore patnaik