Which 16th century Indian jurist stated that "land is the property of its owner, and kings have only the right to tax it"?

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to the area of Indian legal and political thought in history. It asks about a famous statement that clearly distinguishes between ownership of land and the limited authority of kings. The quote highlights the idea that land belongs to private owners, while rulers only have the right to levy taxes on that land. Identifying the jurist who gave this statement helps you connect historical jurisprudence with modern ideas of property rights and limited state power.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The statement is attributed to a 16th century Indian jurist.
• The quote says that land is the property of its owner.
• Kings are said to have only the right to tax it, not to own it.
• We must choose the correct jurist from four given names.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to connect the quote with known historical jurists and their periods. The 16th century jurist Nilakantha is well known for his commentaries and legal thought that emphasised private land rights. The quote is usually attributed to him in standard history and polity references dealing with pre modern Indian jurisprudence. Other names in the options either belong to different periods or are not associated with this specific property rights statement.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the statement talks about land as private property and restricts royal authority to taxation. Step 2: Recall that this concept became prominent in certain late medieval Indian legal writings. Step 3: Identify that Nilakantha was an influential 16th century jurist whose views on land rights are often quoted. Step 4: Check the other names and verify that they are not linked to this particular quote in standard references. Step 5: Conclude that Nilakantha is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, you can consult history of Indian legal thought and medieval polity texts. Standard works and exam guides on Indian polity and history associate this exact quotation with Nilakantha. The time frame, legal context, and wording match his known ideas regarding land tenure and the fiscal role of the king. By cross checking multiple reliable sources, you find repeated confirmation that Nilakantha is credited with this statement, while the other jurists are associated with other doctrines or different eras.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Yajnavalkya: An ancient sage and law giver, not a 16th century jurist, and is not tied to this particular phrase in medieval history questions.
Hemadri: Known for religious and legal works, but this specific quote is not commonly attributed to him in standard exam material.
Vijnaneswara: A major commentator from an earlier period, but again this particular land ownership statement is not linked to his name in usual references.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to choose a more famous ancient law giver such as Yajnavalkya just because the statement seems philosophical. Another error is to ignore the time clue 16th century and pick any name that looks familiar. For competitive exams, it is important to pay attention to time periods in the question stem and to remember which jurist is associated with which specific quotation. Keeping a small list of such famous quotes and their authors is very helpful for revision.

Final Answer:
The 16th century Indian jurist who gave this statement on land and royal taxation is Nilakantha.