The Mauryan Polity c12.22

c12.22

In mediaeval times we know of Vidyāraṇya, the minister of the Vijayanagar emperor, Bukka. He was also known as Madhvācārya, the worthy brother of the worthy Sāyaṇa, the celebrated commentator of the Vedas. As there was another minister by name Mādhava we can appropriately call him Mādhava Vidyāraṇya.¹ This Vidyāraṇya was both a Pandit and statesman. The Bṛhat-Katha informs us that Kātyāyana, the famous jurist, was a minister of the Nanda kings. At a period so late as the 17th century we find a Pandit Govinda Dīkṣita as the minister of the Tanjore kings. These were Pandit-statesmen, or statesmen-pandits who have gloriously adorned many an enviable station in every Hindu state.