branches in different states of India and publishes
many books on various topics in Vedanta, includ-
ing a Bhagavad Gita Home Study course and a
Vedic Heritage Teaching Program for children.
The Arsha Vidya bookstore in Pennsylvania has
over 3,000 publications on Vedanta, Hinduism,
Sanskrit, yoga, astrology, Ayurveda, philosophy,
and Indian history.
Further reading: Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Arsha
Vidya: The Vision of the Rishis (Rishikesh: Sri Gangad-
hareswar Trust, Swami Dayananda Ashram, 1999); —
——, Collection, Talks and Essays of Swami Dayananda
Saraswati (Rishikesh: Sri Gangadhareswar Trust, Swami
Dayananda Ashram, 2000).
artha See ENDS OF LIFE, FOUR.
Arthashastra (c. 300 C.E.)
The Arthashastra, the “Authoritative Treatise on
Worldly Affairs,” is generally attributed to Kauti-
lya (Chanakya) (c. 300 B.C.E.), the minister
of the famous Chandragupta Maurya kingdom,
although it was apparently expanded at a later
time, as the received text includes references to
later phenomena.
The Arthashastra resembles in many ways The
Prince, written in the 16th century by the Italian
Nicolò Machiavelli. It is a complete and elaborate
treatise on statecraft and law, clearly designed for
use by a king. It includes sections dealing with
clans and tribes who do not belong to the state
proper, the conduct of ministers, government
officials, city government, taxation, law, punish-
ments, spies, types of conquest, the army, slavery,
divorce, women’s property, indigent women, pros-
titutes, gambling, alcoholic drinks, and interest
rates, among other topics.
The book is part of the tradition of authori-
tative treatises (shastras; artha means “worldly
affairs”) that relate to the four ENDS OF LIFE. It
parallels the DHARMASHASTRA and the Kamashastra
(among which is the KAMA SUTRA). The fourth end
of life—MOKSHA—is not generally associated with
shastras; its subject, liberation from birth and
rebirth, relies on gurus instead.Further reading: Roger Boesche, The First Great Politi-
cal Realist: Kautilya and His Arthashastra (Lanham,
Md.: Lexington Books, 2002); Subhash C. Kashyap,
Concept of Good Governance and Kautilya’s Arthashastra
(New Delhi: Indian Council of Social Science Research,
2003); L. N. Rangarajan, trans., The Arthashastra by
Kautilya (New Delhi: Penguin Books India, 1992);
Sujata Reddy, Laws of Kautilya Arthasastra (New Delhi:
Kanishka, 2004); Manabendu Banerjee Sastri, ed.,
Occasional Essays on Arthasastra (Calcutta: Sanskrit
Pustak Bhandar, 2000); Bijay Dhari Singh, Bibliography
of Kautilya Arthasastra (Varanasi: Kishor Vidya Niketan,
2004).Art of Living Foundation (est. 1982)
The Art of Living Foundation promotes the spiri-
tual endeavors of Sri Sri Ravi SHANKAR (b. 1956)
(not to be confused with the prominent musician
of the same name). It focuses on the use of ancient
Hindu methods for reaching serenity.
Shankar is a native of Bangalore, India. As a
child he demonstrated great intellectual skills.
He could read and discuss BHAGAVAD GITA by the
age of four. In childhood he read Indian literature
and was able to grasp complex text material and
philosophy.
As an adult, Shankar traveled the world from
his home in India, teaching the methods revealed
in classical texts for developing a serene life, which
he called the Art of Living. Shankar’s teachings
emphasize ancient science, especially Sudharsha
Kriya, a meditative breathing technique that bal-
ances natural rhythms in mental, emotional, and
physical life. Sudharsha Kriya gained celebrity in
1998 and 1999 when scientific studies confirmed
its benefits. The meditative practice is used for
stress reduction, conflict resolution, and personal
development.Art of Living Foundation 45 J