Kautilya says that in order to protect the institution of society, covert measures may be applied against the wicked.
By covert measures, Kautilya means taking recourse to
black magic. The exact means to be adopted - medicines and mantras (or incantations) - are no longer relevant, and so they have been ignored altogether. In fact, to a modern reader the subject matter dealt with in the last chapter may appear rather arcane and obscure.
At the conclusion of the text, Kautilya outlines the plan of the treatise. For Kautilya, a “Book” consists of that portion of the work in which a (separate) subject or topic has been dealt with. Each “Book” consists of one or more chapters. The entire work consists of fourteen “Books” and one hundred and fifty chapters.
Kautilya says that this
Arthashastra has been made to by him to rescue the scriptures and the science from the intolerance and misrule of the Nanda king.
Kautilya – who is also known as Chanakya – aided and abetted Chandragupta Maurya in overthrowing the dictator.
Kautilya says that he found many discrepancies / shortcomings in existing works on this subject – and so he was motivated in writing this Arthashastra himself. It must be understood that Kautilya’s effort is as much a commentary as an original work; for he draws upon (and quotes from) existing texts that were already available.
Kautilya says that the purpose of the Arthashastra is not only to guide the king on the path that is both righteous and economical – but to prevent actions that are unrighteous, uneconomical and displeasing. The Arthashastra is not a philosophical text, but it is meant as a practical guide to secure both this world and the other world.