Indian Epigraphy c16.s2.95

c16.s2.95

The feudatories often claimed to have obtained the five great *śabdas* (usually *samadhigata-pañca-mahā-śabda* or *prāpta-pañca-mahā-śabda*) in which *śabda* means either ‘a title’ or ‘a sound’. Kalhaṇa’s *Rājatarangiṇī* (IV. 140-43, 512, 630) explains the five *mahā-śabdas* as the five official designations beginning with the word *mahā*, viz. (1) *Mahā-Pratīhāra* (superintendent of the king’s chamber or of the gate and guards of the palace or capital city), (2) *Mahā-Sāndhivigrahika* (minister for peace and war, i.e. of foreign affairs), (3) *Mahā-Aśvaśālā-dhikṛta* (superintendent of the stables), (4) *Mahā-Bhaṇḍāgārika* (treasurer) and (5) *Mahā-Sādhanika* (commander of the forces).⁷ This seems to be the meaning of the expression *pañca-mahāśabda* as was current in most parts of North India although the designation may not have referred to the same group of five as mentioned above.⁸ In some West Indian records, the five titles appear to have been *Mahārāja*, *Mahāsāmanta* (feudatory), *Mahākārtākṛtika* (probably, a royal agent or remembrancer), *Mahādaṇḍanāyaka* (commander of forces) and *Mahāpratihāra*. In South India, however, the title seems to refer to the privilege allowed by the overlord to enjoy the sounds of five kinds of musical instruments. These five instruments are mentioned by some authorities as the trumpet, tambour, conch-shell used as a horn, kettledrum and gong.¹ The use of these was allowed as a special mark of distinction not only to feudatory rulers but also to other persons of high rank and authority.² That the distinction or privilege was often conferred on a subordinate by his master is indicated by passages like *tat-pradatta-pañca-mahāśabda* (i.e. [enjoying] the five *mahāśabdas* conferred by the master) in respect of a feudatory of Pratihāra Bhoja I in the Deogadh inscription³ of 862 A.D. Instead of *pañca-mahāśabda* sometimes we have *aśeṣa-mahāśabda* ('all the *mahāśabdas*') or *aśeṣa-pañca-mahāśabda* ('all the five *mahāśabdas*').⁴