State and Government in Ancient India c22.s4.t2.2

c22.s4.t2.2

The political thinkers differed widely as to the strength of the ministry. The Mānava school recommended a ministry of 12, the Bārhaspatya of 16 and the Auśanas of 20. Kauṭilya was averse to lay down any rigid rule; he recommends the appointment of as many ministers as may be necessary. His statement I. 15 that a king with a small council lacks an important source of power and that Indra is called thousand-eyed because his council of ministers had a thousand members, would suggest that he was rather in favour of a large council. Secrecy of policies becomes difficult to maintain with such a large body. Kauṭilya therefore suggests I. 11 that while the council may be large, normally speaking the king should consult only three or four ministers, whose portfolios may be connected with the topic under consideration. In the Mauryan administration very probably there was an inner cabinet of four or five persons, consisting of the Yuvarāja, Prime-minister, the Purohita, the Commander-in-Chief and the Treasurer.