On the Religion of Canakya

Summary

Jyoti Prasad Jain investigates whether Canakya (also known as Kautilya), the celebrated minister of Chandragupta Maurya and reputed author of the Arthashastra, adhered to the Jain faith. The article surveys modern scholarship and early sources, pointing out that several Jain authors, including Munishri Kalyan Vijay and Muni Mahendra Kumar, assert that Canakya was born to Jain parents and remained a householder follower of Jainism. Jain cites works such as B.C. Law’s ‘Religion of Ṛṣabhanātha’ and Maheshchandra Nyayavijay’s ‘Canakya O Jaina Siddhānta Bhaktipriya’ to show that the Digambara and Śvetāmbara traditions both claim Canakya as one of their own. The author notes that Canakya’s moral philosophy emphasises non‑violence, self‑discipline and civic duty—principles that align with Jain ethics. He observes that the Arthashastra does not endorse animal sacrifice and uses terms such as ahimsa that are characteristic of Jain scriptures. Historical records indicate that Canakya commissioned or patronised Jain temples and supported Jain ascetics at the Mauryan court. Jain summarises arguments from earlier historians who claimed Canakya was a Brahmin, but he contends that these conclusions stem from uncritical reliance on Brahmanical texts. The article concludes that, in view of the available evidence, Canakya was likely a Jain layman who promoted Jain values within the Mauryan empire. By revisiting primary sources and highlighting scholarly consensus, Jain encourages historians to recognise Jain contributions to classical Indian political thought.