Economic.principles from.Rigveda to Dharmashastra, Smriti and Arthshastra

Aksha Suktam in Rug Veda :Don't play with dice; instead cultivate your corn fields with the help of your cattle and wife. Enjoy your wealth with proper respect (A2-O3). Taittireeya Upanishat and Anna Suktam in Yajur Veda : produce plenty of food; do not abuse it; that should be your oath (A2-O4). Varaahamihira's Bruhat Samhita :  crop productivity and growth.

Shanti mantras: "Sam no astu dvipade, sam chatushpade"let there be happiness to all the two-feet beings and four-feet beings.Peace be for individuals, families, for the society and all the existence : to have peace and happiness (Ome Saantih Saantih Saantihi; and Saantireva Saantihi--let there be peace and peace and peace only). Sage Atri's "sarve janaassukhino bhavantu, sarvey santu niraamayaah" (let all people be happy and healthy).Rug Veda "Simply obtaining food is foolish with no purpose served; truly, that is as bad as death. One becomes an absolute sinner, if he consumes all the food by himself without feeding first the elders and friends" (A2-S1).
"O Lord, see that none of our people or our cattle is frightened, or becomes ill. We orient our minds towards that strong and enemy-destroying Lord so that all the two-feet and four-feet beings in this village remain happy, and shine with fullness with no worries. Kindly don't harm our elders, weak among us, our kids born and offspring unborn yet, our parents and our bodies. Don't you harm our horses, cows and our heroes! We offer oblations and salutations to you" (A2-$3).( namakam)

Tanme manas Siva samkalpamastu (Let this be the auspicious intention of mine)! Tannoe Rudrah prachoedayaat (Let Rudra the Lord initiate us)!

 "These waters are the dearest to our lives, giving us energy, keeping our limbs in attractive condition, bringing us auspicious occasions and making us participate, caring for us like mothers; they bring us progeny, ...," so on (A2-S5)."Know that whoever realises this interdependence would possess virility, progeny and cattle" (A2-S6).  Bhupaala Mandanam : a king should appropriately protect the nature's welfare, unconcerned about whether something is a fact or not, liked or disliked by others (A2-S7).


A. Some basic tenets of Hinduism:

Dharma-Artha-Kaama-Moksha,

Sattva-Rajas-Tamo Gunas

Varna-Aasrama Dharmaas (General ethics- caste oriented ethics--ethics depending on the phases of the life) and Aatma & Paramaatma (soul & Almighty). Dharma-Artha-Kaama-Moksha are chaturvidha purushaarthas

Ahimsaa satyamasteyam saucham indriya nigrahaha, etam saamaasikam dharmam chaaturvarnye abraveed manuhu | (Manusmruti 10th Canto).

Ahimsaa satyamasteyam saucham indriya nigrahaha, Daanam damoe dayaa kshaantihi sarveshaam dharma saadhanam | Yaajnavalkya Smrutee (Gruhastha dharma prakaranam).

Ruk--Yajur--Saama -Atharva Vedaas are pre-ancestral and no one knows how they came into existence

108 main Upanishads,

5 Upavedas (artha saastra, aayurveda etc.)

6 Vedaangas (Siksha, Nirukta, Vyaakarana, Chandas, Kalpa, and Jyotisha--basically etymology, grammar etc.).

Upanishads contain mainly philosophic perspectives. Vedaangas consist of various Saastras.

Kalpa sutraas are in four categories: Srauta (rituals), Sulba (mathematics), Gruhya (households), and Dharma (ethics) sutras--of which the dharma sutras were discussed more here.

18 Puranas, and 18 upa-Puranas,

Plenty of economic and non-economic content exists in the ancient Hindu literature mentioned above. The several Smrutee/Dharmasutra treatises and commentaries on them. The authors of these 18 treatises are, Paraasara, Narada, Bruhaspati, Katyayana, Angirasa, Rushyasrunga, Kaarshnaaji, Daksha, Pitamaha, Pulastya, Paithanasi, Pracheta, Prajapati, Marichi, Yama, Laugakshi, Vaisvaamita, Vyasa, Sabara etc. and Asvalaayana, Gautama, Aapastamba, Manu, Bhrugu etc.

For a comprehensive discussion on the economic content in the ancient Hindu literature, :Kazanas (undated), Kazanas (2009), Bokare (1993) and Nadkarni (2008). Nicholas Kazanas is an Indologist and Vedic-Sanskrit scholar from Omilos Meleton Cultural Institute, Athens, which provides web-links to a great deal of research on Vedic content (see http://www.omilosmeleton. gr/en/economics_en.asp).

I. Economic principles

Manu Dharma Shastra

(A2-M1) Teshaamaadyam Runaadaanam nikshepo aswami vikrayaha, Sambhuya cha samutthaanam dattassyanapa karmacha, Vetanasvaiva chaadaanam samvidascha vyatikramaha, Krayavikrayaanusayo vivaadaha swaamipaalayoh | (Manusmruti 8th Canto)

(A2-M2) Anaadeyam naadadeeta pariksheenopi paarthivaha, nachaadeyam samruddhopi sukshmapyartham utsrujet | (Manusmruti 8th Canto)

(A2-M3) Yo arakshan balamaadatte karam Sulkam cha Paarthivaha, pratibhaagam cha damdam cha sa sadyo narakam vrajet | (Manusmruti 8th Canto)

(A2-M4) Sulkasthaanam pariharan akaale krayavikrayee, mithyaavaadee cha samkhyaane daapyOshtagunam atyayam | Agamam nirgamam sthaanam tathaa vruddhikshayaa vubhau vichaarya sarvapanyaanaam kaarayet krayavikrayau I pancha raatre pancha raatre pakshe pakshe athavaa gate, kurveeta chaishaam pratyaksham artham samsthaapanam nrupaha | tulaamaanam pratemaanam sarvam cha syaatsulakshanam, shatsu shatsu cha maaseshu punareva pareekshayet | ... ahanyahani aveksheta karmaantaani vaahannani cha, aayavyayau cha niyataavaakaraan kosameva cha | (Manusmruti 8th Canto) (A2-M5) Garbhinee tu dvimaasaadi stathaa pravraajito munihi, braahmanaalinginaschaiva na daapyaastaarikaantare | (Manusmruti 8th Canto)

(A2-M6) kshatriyam chaiva vaisyam cha braahmano vruttikarsitau, bibhruyaat aanrusamsyean svaani karmaani kaarayan | (Manusmruti 8th Canto)

(A2-M7) Yannavi kimchiddaasaanaam vinasyetaaparaadhataha, taddaasaireva daatavyam samaagamya svatomsataha | (Manusmruti 8th Canto)

(A2-M8) Yatkimchit dasavarshaani sannidhau prekshate dhani, bhujyamaanam pariah tushneem na sa tallubhumarhati | ... | sambhogo drussyate yatra na drussyet aagamah kvachit, aagamah kaaranam tatra na sambhoga iti sthitihi | (Manusmruti 8th Canto)

(A2-M9) Braahmanaha kshatriyo vaapi vruddhim naiva prayojayet, kaamam tu khalu dharmaartham kuryaat paapeeyase alpikaam | (Manusmruti 10th Canto)

Aapstamba Dharma Sutraas

(A2-A1) Avihitaa braahmanasya vanijaa; aapadi vyavahaareta panyaanaamapanyaani vyudasyan; manushyaanrasaanraagaan gamdhaan annam charmagavaam vasaagm sleshmodake, tokmakinve pippalee mareeche dhaanyam maagm samaayudhagm sukrutaasaam cha; tila tandulaagm stveva dhaanyasya viseshena na vikreeneeyaat; kaamamutpaadya krushyaamtu svayameva krusheevalaha, vikreeneeta tilaan suddhaan dharmaartham achirasthitaan; annena chaannasya manushyaanaam cha manushyai rasaanaam cha rasaih gamdhaanaam cha gamdhaih vidyayaa cha vidyaanaam | (Aapastamba Dharma Sutra, Prathama Prasna, 20th canto)

(A2-A2) Akreetapanyaih vyavahareta munjala balbajaih mulaphalaih; trunakaasthaih avikrutaih; naatyamtamanvavasyet | (Aapastamba Dharma Sutra, Prathama Prasna, 21st canto)

(A2-A3) Dhaarmyagm sulkamavahaarayet; akarah srotriyaha; sarvavarnaanaam cha striyaha; kumaaraascha praagvyamjanebhyaha; ye cha vidyaarthaa vasanti; tapasvinascha ye dharamaparaaha; sudrascha paadaavanektaa; andha mooka badhira rogaavishtaaah; ye vyardhaa dravya parigrahaih | (Aapastamba Dharma Sutra, Dviteeya Prasna, 26th canto)

(A2-A4) Jaayaapatyoh na vibhaago vidyate | (Aapastamba Dharma Sutra, Dviteeya Prasna, 14th canto)

(A2-A5) Streebhyaha sarvavarnebhyascha dharmaseshaan prateeyaat | (Aapastamba Dharma Sutra, Dviteeya Prasna, 29th canto, last sutraa) Yaajnavalkya Smrutee

(A2-Y1a) Deeyamaanam na gruhnaati prayuktam yah svakam dhanam, madhyastha sthaapitam chet syaat vardhate na tatah param | (Yaajnavalkya Smrutee, Runaadaana prakaranam)

(A2-Y1b) Avibhaktaih kutumbaarthe yadrunam tu krutam bhavet, dadyuh tadrikthinah prete proshite vaa kutumbini | (Yaajnavalkya Smrutee, Runaadaana prakaranam)

(A2-Y1c) na yoshit pati putraabhyaam na putrena krutam pitaa, dadyaat rute kutumbaarthaat na patihi strrkrutam tathaa | (Yaajnavalkya Smrutee, Runaadaana prakaranam)

(A2-Y1d) Kaayikaa kaalikaa chaiva kaaritaa cha tatah paraa, chakravruddhischa saastreshu tasya vruddhih chaturvidhaa | (Quoted by Pullella (2003) inYaajnavalkya Smrutee, Runaadaana prakaranam)

(A2-Y2) Svam labheta anyavikreetam kreturdosho aprakaasite, heenaadraho heenamulye velaaheene cha taskaraha | nashtaapagrutam aasaadya hartaarm graahayennaram, desakaalaatipattau cha gruheetvaa svayam arpayet | (Yaajnavalkya Smrutee, asvaamivikraya prakaranam)

(A2-Y3) Balaaddaaseekrutaha chauraih vikreetaschaapi muchyate | (Yaajnavalkya Smrutee, abhyupetyaa susrushaa prakaranam)

(A2-Y4a) Maanena tulayaa vaapi yo amsam ashtamakam haret, dandam sa daapyo dvisatam vruddhau haanau cha kalpitam; bheshaja sneha lavana gandha dhaanya gudaadishu, panyeshu prakshipan heenam panaan daapyastu shodasa | (Yaajnavalkya Smrutee, saahase praasangika prakaranam)

(A2-Y4b) Sambhuya kurvataam argham sabaadham kaarusilpinaam, arghasya hraasam vruddhim vaa jaanataam dama uttamaha | (Yaajnavalkya Smrutee, saahase praasangika prakaranam)

(A2-Y4e) Sambhuya vanijaam panyam anarghena uparundhataam, vikreenataam vaa vihito danda uttamasaahasaha | (Yaajnavalkya Smrutee, saahase praasangika prakaranam)

(A2-Y4d) Raajani sthaapyate yo arghaha pratyaham tena vikrayaha, krayo vaa nissravastasmaad vanijjaam laabhakrut; svadesapanye tu satam vanig gruhneeta panchakam, dasakam paaradesye tu yah sadyaha krayavikrayee; panyasya upari samsthaapya vyam panyasamudbhavam, argho anugrahakrut kaaryaha kreturvikretureva cha | (Yaajnavalkya Smrutee, saahase praasangika prakaranam)

Kautilya's Artha Saastra

(A2-K0) Pruthivyaa laabhe paalane cha yaavati anya arhasaastraani purvaachairyaih prasthaapitaani praayasah taani samhrutya ekamidam artha saastram krutam | (First statement in Kautilya Artha Saastra). This implies that already some treatises were prevailing by 300 B.C. In fact 'Sukra Neetii' and 'Bruhaspati Artha saastra' are well known other ancient treatises on the subject.

(A2-K1) Kaarusilpinaam karmagunaapakarshamaajeevam vikrayakrayopaghaatam vaa sambhuya samutthaapayataam sahasram dandaha; vaidehakaanaam vaa sambhuya panyam avarundhataam anarghena vikreenataam vaa sahasram dandaha; tulaamaantaram arghavarnaantaram vaa dharakasya maayakasya vaa panamulyaad ashtabhaagam hastadoshenaacharato dvisatoe dandaha; tena dvisatottaraa dandavruddhih vyaakhyaataa; dhaanya sneha kshaara lavana gandha bhaishjya dravyaanaam samavarnopadhaane dvaadasapano dandaha; yannisrushtam upajeeveyuh tadeshaam divasa samjaatam samkhyaaya vanik sthaapayet, kretru vikretroh antarapatitam aadaayaat anyat bhavati; .... anujnaatakriyaadupari chaishaam svadeseeyaanaam panyaanaam panchakam satam aajivam sthaapayet, paradeseeyaanaam dasakam | (Kautilya Artha Saastra--Vaidehaka Rakshanam)

(A2-K2) Panyabaahulyaat panyaadhyakshaha sarvapanyaani ekamukhaani vikreeneeta; teshu avikreeteshu naanye vikreeneeran; taani divasa vetanena vikreeneeran anugrahena prajaanaam | (Kautilya Artha Saastra--Vaidehaka Rakshanam)

(A2-K3) Janapadam mahaantam alpapramaanam vaa adevamaatrukam prabhutadhaanyam dhaanyasyaamsam truteeyam chaturtham vaa yaacheta, yathaa saaram madhyamvaram vaa; durga-setu-karma-vanik-patha-sunya nivesa-khani-dravya-hasti-vana-karmoepakaarinam pratyantam alpapramaanam vaa na yaacheta; dhaanya pasu hiranyaadi nivisamaanaaya dadyaat; chaturthamamsam dhaanyaanaam beejabhakta suddham cha hiranyena kreeneeyaat || (Kautilya Artha Saastra--Kosaabhi Samharanam)

(A2-K4) Aakaraprabhavaha koesaha, koesaad dandah prajaayate, pruthivee koesadandaabhyaam prapyate koesabhushanaa || (Kautilya Artha Saastra --Aakarakarmaanta pravartanam)

Devi Bhaagavatam

(A2-D1) Na samchitavyam vipraistu dhanam kvaapi kadaachana, yashtavyam vidhivaddeyam bhoktavyam cha yathaa sukham | (Devi Bhaagavatam)

Other literature

(A2-O1) Nyaayyopaarjita vittena kartavyam hi aatmarakshanam, anyaayyena tu yoe jeevet sarvakarma bahishkrutaha | (Paraasara Smrutee, 12th Canto).

(A2-O2) Prabalih durbalaanaam tu yathaa peedaa na jaayate, tathaa vyavasthaakrut bhupaha sobhate nitaraam bhuvi | (Bhupaala Mandanam, Gavaadi paalana kathanam).

(A2-O3) Akshair inaa deevyaha, krushim it krushasva, vitte ramasva bahu manyamaanaha, tatra gaavah kitava tatra jaayaa--Rug Veda.

(A2-O4) Annam na nindyaat, Annam na parichaksheeta, Annam bahu kurveeta, tad vratam--Yajur Veda.

II. Social Welfare

(A2-S1) Moegham annam vindate aprachetaah, satyam braveemi vadha itsa tasya, naaryamanam pushyati noe sakhaayam kevalaaghoe bhavati kevalaadee | (Rug Veda)

(A2-S2) Urkchame, sunrutaa chame, payaschame, rasaschame, ghrutamchame, madhuchame, sagdhischame, sapeetischame, krushischame, vrushtischame, jaitramchame, audbhidyamchame, rayischame, raayaschame, pushtamchame, pushtischame, vibhuchame, prabhuchame, bahuchame, bhuyaschame, purnamchame, purnataramchame akshitischame, kuyavaaschame, annamchame, akshuschame, vreehayaschame, yavaaschame, maashaaschame, tilaaschame, mudgaaschame, khalvaaschame, godhumaaschame, masuraaschame, priyamgavaschame, anavaschame, syaamaakaaschame, neevaaraaschame, kalpataam | (Chamakam 4th anuvakam)

(A2-S3) Eshaam purushaanaam eshaam pasunaam maa bher maaroe mo eshaam kinchanaamamat | imaagm rudraaya tavase kapardine kshyadveeraaya prabharaamahe matim, yathaa nah samasdvipade chatushpade visvam pushtam graame asmin anaaturam | maanoe mahaantamuta maana arbhakam maa na ukshantamuta maana ukshitam, maanoe vadheeh pitaram moeta maataram priyaa maanastanuvoe Rudra reerishaha; maanastoeke tanaye maana aayushi maanoe goeshu maanoe asveshu reerishaha, veeraanmaanoe Rudra bhaamitoe vadheeh havishmantoe namasaa vidhema te | (Namakam 10th anuvaakam)

(A2-S4) Rudraadhyaayee vasedyatra graame vaa nagarepi vaa, vyaadhi durbhiksha choraadi baadhaa na jaayate |

(A2-S5) Aapoehisthaah mayoe bhuvaha, taa na urje dadhaatana, mahe ranaaya chakshase, yoevas sivatamoe rasaha, tasya bhaajayateha naha, usateeriva maataraha, tasmaa aram gamaamavoe yasya kshaayaaya jinvataha aapoejana yathaa cha naha | (Varuna Suktam rendered under Sandhyaa Vandanam, Udaka Saanti, Abhishekam, etc.).

(A2-S6) Yoepaam pushpam veda, pushpavaan prajaavaan pasumaan bhavati, chandramaavaa apaam pushpam, pushpavaan prajaavaan pasumaan bhavati, ya evem veda, yoepaam aayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati | (Mantrapushpam. Note: Pushpavaan implies virile person and also sun & moon).

(A2-S7) Satyam vaa yadivaasatyam ahitam vaa hitam tathaa, yathochitam karma kuryaat prakruti kshemasiddhaye I (Bhupaala Mandanam Gavaadipaalana kathanam).

III: Cultural globalisation

(A2-C1) Brahmacharyam parisamaapya gruhee bhavet, gruhee bhutvaa vanee bhavet, vanee bhutvaa pravrajet; Yadi vetarathaa brahmacharyaadeva pravrajet gruhaadvaa vanaadvaa | (Jaabaala Smrutee--quoted in Pullela (2003). One becomes householder after completing bachelorhood, after householding may go away to woods seeking solitude, and afterwards may attain sainthood finally. Abachelor, who has enough will, may become a saint skipping the 2nd and 3re stages.)

(A2-C2) Brahmoe daivastadaiva aarshah praajaapatyas tadhaa aasuraha, Gaandharvoe raakshasaschaiva paisaachascha ashtamoe adhamaha I (Manusmruti 3rd Canto. Braahma, daiva, aarsha, praajaapatya, aaasura, gaandharva, raakshasa, and paisaacha: these are eight types of marriages.)

(A2-C3) Anyoenyasya avyabhichaaroe bhaved aamaranaantikaha, Esha dharmah samaasena jneyah stree pumsayoeh paraha I (Manu Smrutee--9th Canto: Wife and husband should live with mutual affection without violating each other until their death. Know it as dharma.).