New History of the Marathas v1.c16.37

v1.c16.37

4. The Eight Ministers.—The Aryan theory of the state had laid down elaborate schemes from which Shivaji accepted his division of departmental work among eight ministers, a measure admirably suited to the needs of his time, which is still in evidence all over the world. Shivaji clearly laid down definitions of these ministers’ duties and responsibilities. Among the institutions brought into being by Shivaji this departmental division of work among ministers is the most noteworthy. This system was borrowed by Shivaji from the ancient Hindu tradition embodied in Sanskrit works on polity. Under Muhammadan rule there used to be only two main officers, one *Diwan* or the revenue minister, and the other the *Bakshi* or the head of the military establishment. The provincial head or Subahdar was vested with full civil and military powers. It must, however, be borne in mind that Shivaji’s ministry of eight departments can in no sense be likened to the present ministerial cabinets under responsible government or democratic rule. Shivaji assigned no separate independent powers to his ministers. His was merely a convenient system for dividing administrative work; and six out of his eight ministers were bound, in consonance with the needs of the time, to conduct military operations when required, along with their respective duties. It is, therefore, misleading to compare this division of work instituted by Shivaji with the governments of our present times controlled by cabinets responsible to parliaments. Modern cabinets have independent powers and they often overrule the monarch. But Shivaji was a thorough autocrat, and although he freely sought advice from his ministers, he as often overruled their advice and dictated his own measures as he thought best. Of the eight ministers, the Peshwa or Prime minister, was to exercise supervision over the rest and to conduct the government in the absence of his master. The salary of the Prime Minister was 15000 Hons a year, which works out at Rs. 4375 a month at the rate of about 3½ Rs. the exchange value of the Hon, quite a substantial reward for the service rendered, and the more so when we bear in mind the purchasing power of money in those days. The other ministers were (2) the Amātya (in charge of the revenue), (3) the Sachiv (in charge of finance), (4) the Senāpati (commander-in-chief), (5) the Mantri (personal adviser), and the (6) Sumant (foreign minister). The Amātya received a salary of 12,000 Hons yearly or Rs. 3,500 a month. The two remaining ministers (7) the Nyāyādhish (minister of justice) and the Panditrav (minister of charities and religion) were not expected to go out on expeditions, but were to have stationary offices at the seat of government. The salaries of these last six were 10 thousand Hons a year or nearly Rs. 3000 a month.