The Age of the Imperial Guptas c6.35

c6.35

The Damodarpur plates throw strong light on the administration of the districts. Five different classes of officials are mentioned in four of them as being associated in the government of a district. In the plate dated G.E. 124 we find mention of the *Nagara-śreṣṭhin* Dhṛtipāla, the *Sārtthavāha* Bandhumitra, the *Prathama-kulika* Dhṛtimitra, *Prathama-kāyastha* Śāmbapāla and three *Pustapālas* named Ṛṣidatta, Jayanandin and Vibhudatta. Among these the *Nagara-śreṣṭhin* still survives in Gujarat. The *Prathama-Kulika* was evidently the president of the corporation of bankers. On the analogy of the Faridpur plates of the time of Dharmāditya and Goparāja it may be stated that the *Prathama-kāyastha* was the same as the *Jyeṣṭha-kāyastha*. It is impossible to ascertain whether this post was elective or not. Most probably this officer was the head clerk of the district office. The *Sārthavāha* was a caravān-leader and we have met with the name in Kuṣāṇa inscriptions. From the existence of a large number of seals bearing the legend *Sreṣṭhi-Sārthavāha-Kulika-Nigama* discovered at Vaiśālī we may imagine that the *Sārthavāhas* mentioned in the Damodarpur plates was the Chief of the Caravan-leaders. The *Pustapālas* are new to us and were met with for the first time in the Faridpur plates. Their principal duties appear to have been the valuation of land. In the Faridpur plates only one *Pustapāla* is mentioned in each case but in the case of the Damodarpur plates we find three of them acting as a board. In the plate dated G.E. 129 the same officers, elective or appointed, are mentioned. Things are different in the plate of G.E. 163 of the reign of Budhagupta. In this case officers are not mentioned in detail but simply as the eight chief officials, such as the *Mahattara*, etc. One *Pustapāla*, only named Patradāsa, is mentioned. The officials mentioned in the second Damodarpur plate of the reign of the Emperor Budhagupta mentions Ṛbhupāla as the *Nagara-śreṣṭhin*, Vasumitra as the Caravan-leader, Varadatta as the Principal Banker or *Prathama-kulika* and Viprapāla as the Head clerk or *Prathama-Kāyastha*. In this case also we find a board consisting of three *Pustapālas*, Viṣṇudatta, Vijayanandin and Sthāṇunandin measuring out the land. In the next generation, in G.E. 224, during the reign of the Emperor Bhānugupta we find Ṛbhupāla still alive and still holding the post of the *Nagara-śreṣṭhin*. The officials mentioned are the same. The *Nagara-śreṣṭhin* Ṛbhupāla, the *Sārthavāha* Sthāṇudatta, the *Prathama-kulika* Matidatta and the *Prathma-Kāyastha* Skandapāla. In this case also there was a board consisting of Naranandin, Gopadatta and Bhaṭanandin but they are called *Prathama-Pustapālas*.