The Rashtrakutas and their Times c19.s1.36

c19.s1.36

Most of the Rāṣṭrakūṭa emperors were themselves distinguished soldiers and must have been, at least in theory, their own commanders-in-chief. Under them were a number of generals, who may have been in charge of the different corps. The status of the general was as high as that of a Māhāsāmanta entitled to the five great musical instruments. They were allowed to use elephants and chariots, invested with the robes of their office and assigned distinctive parasols. (24) Here again we find epigraphical evidence corroborating the statement in the Nitivākyāmṛta, a contemporary work on politics, that the generals were to be respected not only by the feudatories but also by the emperor, who was to invest them with insignia of honour and dignity similar to his own. (25) Balādhikṛta, daṇḍanāyaka, and mahāprachaṇḍadaṇḍanāyaka are the main military designations that we come across in our documents. The precise relative status of these is difficult to determine. Several other designations also must have existed. The fierce lord of the elephant force is mentioned in the Kalas inscription (26) and cavalry and infantry also must have had their own separate officers of the different grades. These latter are not referred to in our records but are mentioned in the copper plates of the Gahadwal dynasty and in the Nitisāra of Kāmandaka. (27)