Questions about Chanakya and Statecraft.

[Onasander 0]

I am watching Chanakya, and in this episode he's quoting names of theorists..... I can't find any of them on google though. I have read ancient works on statecraft and kingship, politics, and economics from Greece, Rome, Egypt, China, and Japan, and of course the Arthrasastra..... but outside of the Arthrasastra I come up next to nothing for india, beyond a Marathi to English translation of Emperor Ramakrishna (think that's his name) history of his reign, including a section that sort of resembles such a work as one would see in the west or sino-asia.

 

I am not so much interested in histories, or a vague reference to the Mahabharata because I am not so much interested in mere brutal carnage. I am interested in how ancient india approached the affairs of state. It's absolutely impossible to find online. I know there are subsections of the Mahabharata that deal with it.

 

And yes, I have read chunks of the Srimad Bhagavatam and the Bhagavad Gita. The Book of Manu has several elements of what I am looking for.

 

I am just stumped as to why it's so difficult to find this stuff in India. Chinese love it, Mencius and Confucius and Lao Tzu are mainstays of culture. In west, Aristotle (he wrote a book on politics) is well known, as well as a great many others. Arabs have a listing of authors. India is a huge void, despite all the time spent on leaping from Upanisad to Upanisad.

 

Does anyone know of classical sources? Stuff that isn't modern? I'm talking Pre-Bristish.