The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c28.137

v1.c28.137

Another important minister was the *sannidhātṛi*, or Minister of Works², who had charge of storehouses, treasuries, prisons, armouries, warehouses and the like. An interesting item in his duties was the maintenance of a rain-gauge³. We shall not dwell upon the *pradeshṭṛi*⁴, or head of the executive revenue and judicial service, or the *praçāstri*, or Minister of Correspondence, who was responsible for the drafting of decrees and royal letters⁵, nor, of course, upon the numerous *adhyakshas*, or superintendents, the Episcopi of the Greek writers, in charge of minor departments. The other great officers of state were the *dauvārika*, Chamberlain or Master of the Ceremonies, the *āntarvaṁçika* or Head of the Bodyguard, and the four indispensable chiefs who formed the inner cabinet, namely the *mantrin*, i.e. Dīwān or Prime Minister, the *purohita*, or religious adviser, the *senāpati*, or Commander-in-Chief, and the *yuvarāja*, or Heir Apparent. In the provinces were the various *antapālas*, or Guardians of Frontiers, and *durgapālas*, or Commanders of Forts, while the great empire of the Mauryas found a place also for the Viceroy (*uparāja*), no doubt attended by his own, minor, court. The functions of ambassadors are clearly recognised, with distinctions of plenipotentiary, envoy, and instructed emissary, and rules for their behaviour are enunciated⁶. The chief ministers were in many cases hereditary and, except in the instance of the Purohita, they would be more often of Kshatriya, than of Brāhman, caste (Manu, VII, 54).