State and Government in Ancient India c21.s1.7

c21.s1.7

Śukra (I. 183 ff.) gives an interesting account of the grades and incomes of the different feudatories. Lowest in the rung of the ladder, Sāmanta, had a revenue of a lakh of silver Karshas, roughly equal to Rs. 40,000 of modern days. Then came Māṇḍalika with a revenue of 10 lakhs, Rājā with a revenue of 20 lakhs, Mahārāja with a revenue of 50 lakhs, Samrāṭ with a revenue of a crore, Virāṭ with a revenue of 10 crores and Sārvabhauma with a revenue of 50 crores. The scheme seems to be a theoretical and ideal one; it seems to be based more on the decimal calculations than on the realities of life. When terms like Virāṭ were in use, terms like Sāmanta and Māṇḍalika were non-existent, as also the currency in silver. Śukra's account however would give us sufficient evidence to show that several grades of feudatories existed with varying powers and incomes.