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Synopsis Shama Sastri discovered for the first time the most important political treatise of Kautalya called the Arthasastra and published it from Mysore in 1909 and later an English translation in 1915. Later R.P. Kangle brought out a fairly accurate translation based n fresh materials. T. Ganapati Sastri edited the text in the Trivandrum Sanskrit series, between 1924-25 with his own complete sanskrit commentary styled ‘Srimulam’ (in three volumes) using all the fragments of ancient Sanskrit commentaries as well as an old Malayalam commentary (though incomplete) of the 12th century A.D. F. Edgerton pronounced that “Ganpati Sastri’s edition with his own commentary is decidedly the best edition of that all important work”. M. Wnternitz observed that Ganpati Sastri “Sreemulam” is an indispensable help for every student of Arthasastra”. Dr. N.P. Unni who brought out a reprint with an elaborate introduction (In three volumes) in 1984 has now prepared this authentic English translation of the text.