Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

The Mauryan Polity c8.s2.t3: The Paura-Jānapada in Pāṭaliputra

The Mauryan Polity c8.s2.t3

Language
English

The Paura-Jānapada in Pāṭaliputra

c8.s2.t3.1

It is obvious that there were two assemblies in the capital with the designation the *Paura* and the *Jānapada*. Pāṭaliputra had a *Paura* association, and the members of the *Paura* can be identified with the city magistrates of Strabo.³ It is said that these city magistrates exercised municipal administration in addition to their other functions by resolving themselves into six committees of five members each. The *Pañcika* *Saṃghas* of Patañjali may be the equivalent for these committees of the Greek writers. The *Paura* attended among others to the industrial and commercial concerns of the capital, watched the interests of foreigners resident in the city, and were in charge of the census. They also looked after the health and sanitation, besides police and magisterial functions. In addition they were in charge of the buildings like the assembly halls, temples, resthouses and public parks.⁴

c8.s2.t3.2

³ Bk. XV, 50, 4-10, Meg.

c8.s2.t3.3

⁴ Ar. Śā., Bk. II, ch. 36.

c8.s2.t3.4

These were not all. The Negama coins¹ and the coins bearing the name of towns, for example, *Ujeniya*,² which were taken to be coins issued by the merchant guilds are possibly coins which the *Paura* got minted at the capital on behalf of the city. For the *Śreṇi* or the merchant guild was a sub-committee of the *Naigama* which is a synonym for the *Paura*.³ The *Arthaśāstra* shows that the *Jānapada* too had the coins struck at the royal mint.⁴ It is said that a king of small treasure would be a nuisance to the *Paura-Jānapada*.⁵ From the fact that these assemblies are frequently referred to in connection with taxation, it is reasonable to assume that these assemblies exercised some control over taxation. Any additional tax was to be sanctioned by them. Kauṭalya says that the king had to beg of the *Paura* and the *Jānapada* towards this end.⁶

c8.s2.t3.5

¹ Cunningham, *Coins of Ancient India*, pp. 63-65, Pl. III.

c8.s2.t3.6

² *A.S.R.*, Vol. XIV, p. 148.

c8.s2.t3.7

³ See Caṇḍeśvara *V. R.*, pp. 177, 180, Naigamāḥ Paurāḥ naigamaḥ-paurasamūha, quoted by Jayaswal, *Hindu Polity*, Pt. II, p. 77n. Cf. Nasik Cave Inscriptions *Ep. Ind.*, VIII, 82.

c8.s2.t3.8

⁴ suvarṇikaḥ paurajānapadānām rūpyasuvarṇamāveśanibhiḥ kārayet—Bk. II, ch. 14.

c8.s2.t3.9

⁵ *Ar. Śās.*, Bk. II, ch. 1.

c8.s2.t3.10

⁶ etena pradeśena rājā paurajānapadān bhikṣeta—Bk. V, ch. 2. Cp. Bk. XIII, ch. 5

Linked texts (2)