The Mauryan Polity c10.s2.t9.14

c10.s2.t9.14

It is evident that each department was manned by an army of civil officials of different grades and status. The *yuktas* and the *upayuktas* had their own assistants as is evident from Chapter 5 of Book II of the *Kauṭalīya*. These servants of the government were appointed temporarily in the first instance.² In this connection the term *bahumukhya* is important and is the same as the word *anekamukhya* in chapter 4 of the same book. This shows that there were a number of temporary officials. These were in course of time taken to the permanent service, on the merits of the case in respect of qualifications, character and conduct. It is said that those who would not eat up the wealth of the state, those who would swell the wealth by fair and legitimate means, and those who would court the welfare of the king and kingdom were to be appointed as permanent servants of the state³ (*nityādhikāraḥ*). Thus the tenure of service largely depended on the honesty and efficiency of the government servants.