"The Attitude of Kautilya to Aranya"

Ghosh Ray, Rita | from Multimedia Library Collection:
Environment and History (journal)

Ghosh Ray, Rita. “The Attitude of Kautilya to Aranya.” Environment and History 2, no. 2, South Asia special issue (June, 1996): 221–9. doi:10.3197/096734096779522356. The Kautiliya Arthasastra is a famous treatise on state-craft which within its state policies includes ecological concerns, implicitly but effectively. The Kautiliya Arthasastra gives a vivid and lively description of different categories of forests. The essence of the text lies in the fact that it makes a clear departure from the Vedic texts and Puranas, where forest is depicted as an abode of demons and a place of exile for unfortunate kings and evil-doers. It is Kautiliya Arthasastra which for the first time stresses the economic importance of forests in the formulation of principles and policies of the state. All rights reserved. © 1996 The White Horse Press