The Single largest authentic repository for Bhāratīya Arthaśāstra Tradition
By the Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems
The Vision
The repository, Chanakya Supersite, will be a vast collection of primary texts, secondary sources, and scholarly works related to Arthashastra, ensuring it is the most extensive and authoritative resource available.
By providing easy access to the repository for scholars, researchers, and enthusiasts worldwide, the project will facilitate deeper understanding and foster appreciation of Arthashastra amongst the fraternity encouraging interdisciplinary research with allied fields such as history, political science, economics, and sociology, enriching the study of Arthashastra.
The project’s primary goal is to develop educational resources and curricula based on the repository’s content, benefiting students and educators at all levels.
The greater vision of the project being to influence India’s policies through indigenous insights gained in the process of building this rigorous repository of knowledge on Bhāratīya Arthaśāstra Tradition.
What is meant by Bhāratīya Arthaśāstra Tradition?
The Bhāratīya Arthaśāstra Tradition (BAT) encapsulates the profound insights derived from Bhāratīya classical texts, as articulated by Kautilya in his treatise. Arthaśāstra, in its essence, explores the acquisition (lābha) and sustenance (pālana) of “artha” or land. This tradition extends its purview into contemporary social sciences, encompassing Law, Sociology, Public Policy, and International Relations. BAT not only draws from literary sources, including shastra texts and diverse case studies, but also integrates non-literary aspects. Through a rich tapestry of ancient wisdom, it sheds light on management, governance, and business studies, providing indigenous perspectives that resonate across the multifaceted domains of society and administration.
The inception of the “Chanakya Supersite” represents a scholarly endeavor aimed at establishing a comprehensive online repository dedicated to venerable Indian treatises such as Kauṭilya’s Arthaśāstra, Cāṇakya Sūtras, Nītiśāstra, and Dharmashastras texts and relevant sections from the epics. These texts, rich in strategic wisdom, offer insights akin to modern-day social sciences, including Law, Sociology, Public Policy, and International Relations. The Supersite aspires to emerge as the definitive resource for scholars,
researchers, experts, and enthusiasts alike, fostering an exploration of the timeless wisdom embedded in classical texts attributed to various seers and scholars of Bharat.
Objectives of Chanakya Supersite
1. To collate and compile the classical texts along with their translations.
2. To create a repository of authentic research pertaining to the subject.
3. To create a hub facilitating interaction among experts, scholars and researchers.
The proposed supersite once ready will be the single largest and factually authentic repository in the domain of Bhāratīya Arthaśāstra Tradition (BAT), enabling the scholars, enthusiasts, and researchers to come together to revive and revitalize the tradition.