Statecraft and Political Ideology in the Indian epics

Abstract

This paper explores political ideology and statecraft in the Indian epics, the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata, analyzing key episodes—Bharata’s meeting with Rāma, Nārada’s discourse with Yudhiṣṭhira, and Bhīṣma’s teachings—to extract governance principles relevant to modern debates. Grounded in a theological framework where rulers, as divine representatives, must uphold dharma (righteousness) while ensuring universal welfare, the study emphasizes the ideal ruler’s self-control, ethical conduct, and wisdom, alongside merit-based ministerial appointments. The state’s primary duty is protection, balancing justice with compassion, fostering economic stability through frugal, agrarian policies while safeguarding vulnerable groups, and pursuing strategic diplomacy over warfare. The epics resist rigid capitalist or socialist labels, advocating instead a holistic governance model that harmonizes material prosperity with spiritual well-being, offering enduring insights into ethical leadership, justice, economics, and foreign policy that challenge contemporary political paradigms.