State and Government in Ancient India c23.s3.23

c23.s3.23

The efficiency of Harsha’s government does not compare favourably with that of the Mauryan or Gupta administration. Yuan Chwang no doubt states that as the government was honestly administered, the people lived together on good terms and that the criminal class was small.³ But this appears to be a somewhat courtly compliment, because the Chinese pilgrim himself was captured by robbers not far from the capital and escaped being offered as a sacrifice through an accidental natural phenomenon; a sudden black tempest broke at the nick of time, which frightened the robbers. The law against the crime was severe; prisoners received harsh treatment; they were not allowed to shave; they used to have hairy faces and matted beards. Punishments were more sanguinary than under the Guptas; ‘For offences against the social morality and disloyal and unfilial conduct, the punishment is to cut off the nose, or an ear or a hand or a foot or banish the offender to another country or into wilderness.¹ Fines were imposed for minor offences. The severity of the criminal administration no doubt helped to keep down the crime.