The Mauryan Polity c10.s2.t2.3

c10.s2.t2.3

There is also another term *mahāmātrīya*⁵ meaning ‘the official-chamber of the ministry’. Excepting the fact that these *mahāmātras* were ministers or high officials of the state, no other functions definitely marked as such can be gathered from the *Arthaśāstra*. A comparative study of the *Arthaśāstra* and inscriptions of Aśoka⁶ where the designation *mahāmātra* occurs, bears the possibility of equating the term *mahāmātra* in the Edicts with that of the *adhyakṣa* in the *Arthaśāstra*. This possibility of change was only in designation but not in function. This correspondence of *adhyakṣa-mahāmātra* does not negative the special interpretation of *mahāmātra* meaning a minister. It would seem that whenever the term is used without any prefix it may be generally taken to denote ministers. More of this later on.