The Age of the Imperial Guptas c6.6.3

c6.6.3

The legends on these seals is *Yuvarāja-pādīya-Kumārāmāty-ādhikaraṇasya*, “(the seal) of the office of the *Kumārāmātya* equal in rank to a prince.” The legend of the third class of *Kumārāmātyas* indicates that officers of this rank were held to be equal to the heir to the empire. Twelve specimens of seals of official of this class were discovered. In the seals of the second class we find the figure of Lakṣmī with an elephant on each side, but without any attendant.¹ In third class we see Lakṣmī with the elephants and two dwarfs holding round pots from which they are pouring out small objects, evidently coins.¹ The legends on the seals of the third class is *Śrī-Yuvarāja-bhaṭṭāraka-pādīya-Kumārāmātya-ādhikaraṇasya*. “(The seal) of the office of the *Kumārāmātya*, equal in rank to the illustrious heir-apparent.” In the fourth or the last class of *Kumārāmātyas* the legends make a startling revelation. Only one specimen of this particular kind was discovered by Bloch at Vaiśālī. The legend runs: *Śrī-paramabhaṭṭāraka-pādīya-Kumārāmātyādhikaraṇasya*; “(The seal) of the office of the *Kumārāmātya*, equal in rank to His Majesty (the Emperor).”² Up to this time officials of the state equal in rank to the sovereign have not been met with in ancient or modern histories. There are other officials equal in rank to the heir-apparent but none except the *Kumārāmātyas* were sufficiently high in rank to be equal to His Majesty the Emperor.