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The Mauryan Polity c8.s1.t8: Functions of the council

The Mauryan Polity c8.s1.t8

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Functions of the council

c8.s1.t8.1

What were, then, the functions assigned to the council? From the fact that the king sought its advice on the administration of the land including home and foreign policy, and acted on it, the main functions of the council were executive in character. Enjoying the confidence of the king, as it did, the council was largely responsible in shaping the policy of the government. Among others the following five points engaged its attention. They were (1) means of undertaking works including expedition into the enemy’s territory (karmaṇām ārambhopāyaḥ); (2) gathering of resources in men and material in relation to the internal and external policy of the kingdom (puruṣadravya-sampaṭ); (3) use of discrimination in undertakings with reference to place and time (deśakālavibhāgaḥ); (4) means of averting possible dangers and calamities arising from his own state and from that of the enemy (vinipātapratīkāraḥ); and (5) results arising from such works undertaken (kāryasiddhi).²

c8.s1.t8.2

² *Ar. Śās.*, Bk. I, ch. 15. Cf. Kāmandaka, XII.36-40.

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