The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c13.s3.2

v2.c13.s3.2

The inscriptions make mention of the traditional seven components of the State (saptāṅga), and the eighteen tīrthas (offices), such as mantri (minister), purohita (chaplain), sēnāpati (commander), yuvarāja (heir-apparent), dauvārika (door-keeper), pradhāna (chief), adhyaksha (head of department) and so on.¹ A rather late copper-plate grant records the fact that Mēḍamārya was appointed by Vira-Choḍa to the dignity of sēnāpati and that the king placed a tiara on his head when investing him with this high office.² A grant of Amma I speaks of the Paṭṭavardhani family as holders of offices in the State for several generations following; and the expression used here, niyogādhikṛta (superintendent of the niyogas),³ may well indicate the existence even at a relatively early date of the complex organization of the palace staff into seventy-two niyogas; this system is known to have obtained in some of the larger temples of the Vengi country during this period,⁴ and it is a well-known fact that the court and the temple were organized on parallel lines.