Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c19.s3.20

c19.s3.20

The Great Kshatrapa is said to have gained fame by studying grammar (*śabda*), polity (*artha*), music (*gandharva*), logic (*nyāya*), etc. As a test of the civilised character of his rule it may be noted that he took and kept to the end of his life, the vow to stop killing men except in battle. The Sudarśana embankment was rebuilt and the lake reconstructed by "expending a great amount of money from his own treasury, without oppressing the people of the town and of the province by exacting taxes (*Kara*), forced labour (*Vishi*) benevolences (*Praṇaya*), and the like.¹ The king was helped in the work of government by an able staff of officials, who were "fully endowed with the qualifications of ministers" (*amātya-guṇa samudyuktaiḥ*) and were divided into two classes, *viz.*, *Matisachiva* (Counsellors) and *Karma-sachiva* (Executive Officers).