Public Administration in Ancient India c12.44

c12.44

Although every Minister occupied a responsible position, it was the Prime Minister who was mainly responsible for the good government of the country.³ Unless the King happened to be a man of exceptional ability, the Prime Minister was the real ruler of the State. “All activities,” says Chānakya, “depend upon the Prime Minister, such, for instance, as the accomplishment of the works of the people, the security of the Kingdom from foreign aggression and internal troubles, remedial measures against calamities, colonisation, improvement of the soil, maintenance of the army, and the collection and disbursement of the State revenue.”¹ According to Bharadvāja, the Prime Minister was the most important person in the State—even more important than the King himself, for, says Bharadvāja, “in the absence of the Prime Minister, the King is absolutely incapable of doing any work, like a bird deprived of its wings.” Chānakya, however, would place the Prime Minister as next to the King, for “the King appoints the Ministers, and he can replace a bad Minister by a good one.”²