Public Administration in Ancient India c22.30

c22.30

Asoka appointed many high officers to superintend his establishment for the distribution of alms in Magadha as well as in the other provinces.² He also established hospitals and dispensaries, for men as well as for animals, throughout his wide dominions.³ On the roads he had banyan trees and mango-groves planted, and at every mile he caused wells to be dug and rest-houses to be erected.⁴ From numerous inscriptions we know that this kind of charitable work was continued by successive monarchs. The Gadhwā Stone Inscription of Chandragupta Gupta II., for instance, tells us that that monarch erected a perpetual almshouse for the Brāhmaṇas of a certain place.¹ The Sāñchī Stone Inscription records the gift by the same monarch of the income of a village for the support of Bhikshus. In the Bilsad Stone Pillar Inscription of Kumāragupta mention is made of the dedication of a religious almshouse of large dimensions and beautiful structure to the use of those who are eminent in respect of virtuous qualities.² According to Hiuen Tsiang, King Harshavardhana “ in all the highways of the towns and villages throughout India created hospices (puṇyaśālās) provided with food and drink, and stationed there physicians, with medicines for travellers and poor persons round about to be given without stint.”³