The Mauryan Polity c7.s1.t9: The evidence of Mudrārākṣasa

The Mauryan Polity c7.s1.t9

Language: English

The evidence of Mudrārākṣasa

c7.s1.t9.1

The Mudrārākṣasa of Viśākhadatta which can be counted as one of the source-books for the Mauryan epoch⁴ speaks in so many words of the delegation of the authority to such an extent that the king resents that he is nothing if he is simply to carry out the proposal of the chief minister and his council. It has been suggested that the passages in question refer to the fact that the minister was all powerful but not the council of ministers.⁵ We shall examine in the sequel how weak the argument advanced for this assumption is.

c7.s1.t9.2

⁴ See Cambridge History of India, Vol. I, p. 467.

c7.s1.t9.3

⁵ Glories of Magadha, pp. 93-94n.

Linked texts (1)

Mudrārākṣasa — Viśākhadatta, Sanskrit