The Mauryan Polity c10.s3.t7.13

c10.s3.t7.13

Mention has already been made of *nāgaravyavahārika* as occurring in the Aśokan inscriptions.¹ These officers are also styled as *mahāmātras* as is seen from the Dhauli and Jaugaḍa Separate Edict I. The officers mentioned are of the provincial towns like Tosāli and Samāpa and not of the capital city. That these exercised important judicial powers is evident from the fact that the officers are taken to task for having inflicted arbitrary punishment including imprisonment to some of the citizens. The *nāgaraka* could not be expected to shoulder such heavy responsibilities single-handed. He was assisted by a body of officials called the *sthānikas* and *gopas*.