The Rashtrakutas and their Times c15.s1.38

c15.s1.38

Rāṣṭrakūṭas had several feudatories and neighbours. Mahāsandhivigrahaka or the chief foreign minister must, therefore, have had several ordinary Sandhivigrahakas under him. This inference, suggested by the formation of these two words, is confirmed by the Bhandup plates of Chhittarājadeva from which we learn that among the members of that king's ministry Sihapeya was the principal Sandhivigrahaka and Śrī-Kapardin was Karṇāṭaka-Sandhivigrahaka or the foreign minister for Karnatak. If the small feudatory kingdom of the Śilāhāras required two foreign office officials both of the status of a minister, the ministry of the big Rāṣṭrakūṭa empire must have had at least about half a dozen foreign ministers, bearing titles like Gurjara-Pratīhāra-mahāsandhivigrahaka, Gauḍa-mahāsandhivigrahaka, Pallava-mahāsandhivigrahaka etc. The post of the foreign minister was an important one; the well-being and prosperity of the kingdom depended upon his skill and ability. It is, therefore, natural that he should have often enjoyed the dignity and status of a Sāmanta entitled to the Pañcamahāśabdas under the Rāṣṭrakūṭa administration.⁵⁷ As he had to draft foreign despatches, he was expected to be skilful in penmanship.⁵⁸