State and Government in Ancient India c23.s6.7

c23.s6.7

We have frequent reference to Amātyas in the Sātavāhana records and also in the Pallava ones (*E.I.*, VIII. 218). There is no doubt that in some cases these were district officers. but in others they were the advisers or ministers of the king. The Kadambas of Banavāsi had a council of ministers which was consulted when the king made land grants (*J.B.B.R.A.S.* IX. 275,284). The Pallava king Nandivarman had a ministerial council which has been referred to in the Vaikuṇṭha Perumal inscription (*S.I.I.* IV. 135) One Kālidāsa was a minister of war of the Chālukya king Jagadekamalla. Eastern Chālukya records also refer to Mantrins and Pradhānas. The official advisers of high status that are referred to in the *Śilappadikaram* and the *Maṇimēkalai*, often 18 in number, were probably of the ministerial status.