The Mauryan Polity c10.s2.t7: The Puruṣas
The Mauryan Polity c10.s2.t7
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The Puruṣas
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Administrative work, civil or criminal, or even military, would be impossible without an organised civil service. In the Mauryan empire we find that two classes of civil servants are distinguished. They were the puruṣas and the yuktas. While the yuktas belonged to the cadre of subordinate civil service, the puruṣas were of the superior civil service. The Arthaśāstra mentions Gūḍhapuruṣas, and they are mainly Intelligence Officers.¹ An examination of the functions assigned to them in the Kauṭalīya demonstrates corroboration with the writings of the classical writers like Megasthenes, Arrian and Strabo. "They spy out what goes in country and town and report everything to the king".² Again Megasthenes says: 'the sixth class consists of the overseers to whom is assigned the duty of watching all that goes on and making reports secretly to the king. Some are entrusted with the inspection of the city and others with that of the army. The former employ as their coadjutors the courtesan of the city and the latter the courtesans of the camp. The ablest and most trustworthy men are appointed to fill these offices.'³ The Arthaśāstra uses the term puruṣa in both a general and a technical sense. Besides it speaks of ayukta-puruṣas,⁴ abhityakta puruṣas⁵ (outcaste men according to Śāma Śāstri), yogapuruṣas, and pravīrapuruṣas (members of military associations).⁶ There is besides in it a chapter titled *puruṣavyasanavargaḥ*. But this does not refer to the troubles of civil officials, but treats in general of *vyasanas* to which a man is liable to. There is a distinct mention of *puruṣas* and *yuktas* in the sense of civil servants in chapter V of Book II.
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¹ Bk. I, ch. 11-12.
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² Ind. Ant., VI, pp. 124 and 237.
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³ Fg. 36.
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⁴ Bk. I, ch. 15.
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⁵ Bk. II, ch. 5.
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⁶ Bk. VII, ch. 14.
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¹ Bk. VIII, ch. 3.
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That they were employed in all departments and that misappropriation on their part was severely punished is seen from the same chapter also.² Perhaps the statement in chapter 20 of Book III in regard to the *puruṣas* and their qualifications is a reference to the civil servants. Regard was to be shown to those *puruṣas* who were learned, wise, bold, of high birth and skilled in discharging duties.³ It would appear that only qualified men were appointed to this service.
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² sarvādhikaraṇeṣu yuktopayukta tatpuruṣāṇām paṇādicatuṣpaṇāḥ paramāpahāreṣu pūrvamadhya-mottamavadho daṇḍaḥ—Bk. II, ch. 5.
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³ pūjyāḥ vidyābuddhipauruṣābhijñakarmātiśayataśca puruṣāḥ.
Linked texts (1)
- Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra — Kauṭilya, Sanskrit