PURPOSE AND FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT ACCORDING TO MAHABHARATA

KEYWORDS 
Governance according to Mahabharata, Vedic way of Administration, Purpose of Government, Function of Government.

The origin of genuine democratic thought and governance, councils or sanghas that arranged a government through discussion, based on the principles outlined in the Vedic texts, especially ruled villages. We always propagate the principle of ‘freedom’ as respect it of others. This is the freedom which the Vedic culture always promoted, which is that of the individual and one’s freedom of thought, and freedom to pursue one’s happiness without infringing on others, and the means to follow one’s own spiritual predilection. The Vedic system offered many ways through which a person could be involved and yet progress to a higher level of consciousness, and, yet, have the freedom to do so in whatever way is best for him, without, again, infringing or inflicting one’s own views on everyone else who may not necessarily be on the same level or have exactly the same outlook. This has always been what was viewed as fair use of social norms and governance, as guided or curbed by the Vedic standards, and which is also seems to be a rare commodity in many areas of the world today. India is the natural home of liberty, of democratic government and of self-government. Where did our colonial town-meeting system come from? Our historians trace it to England, and beyond that to Germany. But they cannot stop with Germany. To find they are obliged to go to Asia and especially to the village republics of India. Thus, India proves to be, in a sense, the Mother of Republican America.” (Niranjan Shah, India is Mother of Self-government and Democracy, India Tribune, November 7, 2009). VEDAS DIRECT than the constitution and the country are based on righteousness, the probability of it being affected by calamities, crime and discontent are low. But a country devoid of righteousness (Dharma) is lifeless, like a corpse, meaning that the deterioration of such a country is practically guaranteed. Without the preservation of Dharma through educational programs, then the positive future of the state is destroyed. This distinctive research of mine has purportedly focused on such style of functioning of government that propounded our ancient scriptures.

Swami (Dr.) Parthasarathy
The author is a writer of global repute and internationally acclaimed management exponent and philosopher having 27 publications of books to his credit. He is also the author of ‘Transforming Personality’, one of the bestsellers in Europe and America. He can be reached at swparthasarathy@aol.com or cmd.srisiim@gmail.com