State and Government in Ancient India c15.90

c15.90

The next minister *paṇḍita* was in charge of religion and morality. He was to be well-versed in Dharmaśāstra and to find out which religious views and practices were actually current and popular, which were prescribed in Śāstras but had become obsolete and which were opposed both to the dictates of the Śāstras and the practice of the people. It was his duty to take a wide and comprehensive view in the matter and advise the government upon its socio-religious policy. We have shown already how the state was to be the gaurdian of *dharma*. This, however, did not mean that it was to blindly enforce whatever was prescribed in antiquated texts. It was the duty of one of its ministers, *viz.* the *paṇḍita*, to find out which practices had become antiquated and to discourage and not enforce them. He was also to advise the government about suitable changes that could be introduced in consonance with the spirit of *dharma* and culture.³ One of Shivaji's ministers, bearing almost the same name, Panditrao, discharged similar functions. The *dharmamahāmātras* of Aśoka, the *śramaṇamahāmātras* under the Sātavāhanas,⁴ the *vinayasthitisthāpakas* under the Guptas,⁵ the *dharmāṅkuśas* under the Rāshṭrakūṭas⁶ and the *dharmapradhānas* under the Chedis, all seem to be the officers working under this department. Grants to temples and monas-