Author: Papia Maity & Milan Das
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/Bijmrd/04032014
Abstract: Kautilya’s Arthashastra is traditionally viewed as a foundational treatise on governance, economic administration, and statecraft. Yet, embedded within its prescriptions is a multidimensional understanding of sustainability that addresses contemporary concerns. This paper interprets the Arthashastra as a framework for sustainable lifestyles, specifically through the lenses of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The study examines Kautilya’s emphasis on prudent fiscal management, ethical production systems, and resource conservation as early articulations of economic and ecological responsibility. It also analyses his attention to social welfare, education, community cohesion, and moral discipline as essential components of a stable and just society. Taken together, these principles reflect a holistic vision in which individual behaviour, societal structures, and natural resources are interdependent. By reassessing the text in this tri-dimensional perspective, the paper demonstrates the continuing relevance of Kautilya’s thought for shaping balanced, responsible, and sustainable ways of living in the modern world. This paper focuses on the relevance of the Arthashastra to economic, social, and environmental sustainability.
Keywords: Arthashastra, Economic Sustainability, Social Sustainability, Environmental Sustainability. Governance.
Page No:106-119