The Rig Veda consists of 1,028 hymns grouped into 10 books called Maṇḍalas. Its verses express praise, philosophical inquiry, and deep yearning for prosperity, protection, and truth. Over this series, we will explore the Rig Veda hymn by hymn, beginning with the very first one.

Chapters 11 through 13 of Arthashastra turn from the hunt to the harvest. The criminals have been caught; now they must be punished, and their punishment must serve the kingdom's larger purposes.

Chapters 6 through 10 move from detection to action. The king's hunters now close in upon their quarry. Kautilya addresses the grim but necessary art of interrogation—the extraction of truth from those who will not give it willingly, using methods that range from the psychological to the excruciating.