Origin of state as per Shukra Niti: 

Though in Shukra Niti, there is not much description with regard to the origin of state, yet through two references, it is seen that Shukra has supported the divine principle of origin of a state. In one reference, Shukra says that, “Brahma created the king as a servant to the subject who receives taxes from public as his salary. His existence is for the service of the people”.

In the second episode, Shukra says that, “When there was no king in the world, that is, there was chaos everywhere and people began to run here and there in search of a hideout, then God created a king for the safety of this world”. In the context of Shukra Niti, there are only two references where from an outlook is drawn in respect of origin of a state. While propagating the principle of existence of a state, a state has been considered as an important and natural institution in the scripture.

While describing the state as the basis of emergence of the world in the epic, its comparison has been made with the moon and it has been said that as the moon is the base of growth of ocean, similarly, state is the original basis for emergence of people. He described appointment of a king by ‘Brahma’ and also supported the divine principle with regard to origin of a state by describing creation of a king by God, but by terming king as servant to his subject, he has negated the divine rights of a king.

Nature of state in Shukra Niti: 

Shukdra, while propagating the organic form of a state, describes its seven organs: 

1. Raja (King) 

2. Mantri (Minister) 

3. Mitra (Allies) 

4. Kosh (Treasury) 

5. Rashtra (Boundary) 

6. Durg (Fortress) 

7. Sena (Army)

While drawing comparison of a state with human body, Shukra assumes the Raja (King) as the head, minister as the eyes, allies as ears, treasure as mouth, sena (army) as mind, durg (fortress) as both the hands and country as both the feet. In Shukra Niti scriptrure, a state has been compared to a tree in another context by terming Raja as roots of a tree, ministers as stem, army chief as branches, army as leaves, people as soil, the material obtained from land as fruits and state’s land as seed.

Shukra Niti has clarified the difference between a nation (rashtra) and a state (rajya). Two elements are included in rashtra, with the first immovable element as land, hills, natural wealth, etc. A community devoid of sovereign control is called ‘Rashtra’ and this ‘Rashtra’ is transformed into a ‘Rajya’ by way of sovereign control. That is, to say in precise manner, that a public organisation living on a definite piece of land is a rashtra if it is without sovereign control, and it is a rajya if it is with sovereign control.