State and Government in Ancient India c15.184

c15.184

In Pādāñjali Jātaka (No. 247) we find that ministers could successfully veto the accession of the heir-apparent Pādāñjali because he was lacking in intelligence and commonsense. These are more or less traditional accounts, but the *Rājata-* *raṅgiṇī* gives historical instances showing the great powers wielded by ministers. The deposition of Ajayāpīḍa was due to the decree of his ministers Mamma and others (IV. 707). Śūra could become king because the crown was decided to be offered to him by the ministry, which had concluded that he was most qualified for it (IV. 715). When on his death-bed, king Kalaśa wanted to inaugurate his son Harsha as Yuvarāja, he could not do so owing to the determined opposition of his ministry (VII. 702). There is ample evidence to show that when a king died without leaving a competent heir, it was the ministry which settled the question of succession. When king Vijaya of Ceylon died, ministers took over the administration in their own hands till the return of his nephew from India after one year, when they duly invested him with the ruling powers.¹ It was the Maukhari ministers who offered the crown of Kanauj to Harsha.