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The Mauryan Polity c8.s2.t4: Jānapada in Aśoka's Inscriptions

The Mauryan Polity c8.s2.t4

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Jānapada in Aśoka's Inscriptions

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A similar circumstance perhaps actuated *Aśoka* to employ *Rājukas* in such a manner as would win the affection and goodwill of the *Jānapada* assembly. In the Pillar Proclamations IV,⁷ the term *Jānapada* occurs in three places where it is said that the *Rājukas* were to discharge their duties so as to secure the goodwill and affection of the members of the *Jānapada* and grant them *anugrahas*.¹ The discontented among them were to be brought round. The officers were to conduct themselves in such a manner as the *Jānapada* would not get offended. Aśoka attached so much importance to the *Jānapada* that he discussed with them the ways and means of propagating *dharma* in the land.² It appears from the fact that the phrase *Paura-Jānapada* occurs together whenever there is occasion for its mention, that these two bodies severally and conjointly carried out the political functions devolved on them. That they had to attend to such functions daily is evident from the kings' time-table where the second portion of the day is devoted to attending to the business of the *Paura-Jānapada*.³

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⁷ *Corpus*, pp. 147-8, pp. 122-123.

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¹ kammāni pavatayevū janasa jānapadasā hitasukhaṃ upadahevū anugahinevu chā sukhīyana-dukhiyanaṃ jānisamti dhamma-yutena cha viyovadisanti janam jānapadam kimti hidatam cha pālatam cha... hevaṃ mamā lajūkā kaṭā jānapadasa hitasukhāye yena ete abhitā asvatha samtaṃ avimanā kammāni pavatayevūti|| Corpus, pp. 122-23.

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² R. E. VIII (Girnār): bāmhaṇasamaṇānaṃ dasaṇe cha dāne cha thairānaṃ dasaṇe cha hiraṃṇapaṭividhāno cha jānapadasa cha janasa daspanaṃ dhammānusastī cha dhamaparipucchā cha . . . . —Corpus, p. 14.

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³ dvitīye paurajānapadānāṃ kāryāṇi paśyet| —Ar. Śās. Bk. I, ch. 19. Cp. Mhb., Śānti, 40, 19.

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As in the Capital so also in the provincial Headquarters, the *Paura* and the *Jānapada* assemblies had important functions to perform. The tenure of the local ministry depended on its harmonious relations with these organisations. If the ministers abused their powers, the citizens who had apparently the moral sanction of these assemblies, rose in rebellion and continued the struggle until their grievances were redressed. In Takṣaśila this was the case both during the reigns of Bindusāra and Aśoka. Kumāras or princes were sent to rectify the wrongs perpetrated by the ministry. This so highly pleased the citizens who demonstrated that their loyalty to the emperor was unflinching.

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*The story of Tiṣyarakṣitā*

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These assemblies again were entrusted with responsible executive work. A story¹ goes that once Tiṣyarakṣitā, the queen of Aśoka, made overtures of love to Kunāla, the son of Aśoka by another wife. Kunāla’s righteous nature rebelled at the very idea. This drove Tiṣyarakṣitā to severe wrath and she resolved to punish him at the next available opportunity. Aśoka fell ill and Tiṣyarakṣitā attended on him carefully that the king promised to do her anything she wanted. Her request was that she should be at the helm of the empire for a week. It was agreed upon. The queen sent an order sealed, as if from the king, to the Paura-Jānapada at Takṣaśila to get Kunāla, the provincial governor of that city, blinded. The members of the assembly met and discussed the unpleasant duty which had fallen on their shoulders. They informed the prince of the royal orders, to which he readily consented. The assembly got him blinded. The rest of the story is not relevant to our purpose. The story may or may not be true. What we are concerned with here is the administrative detail thrown out by the story. The Paura-Jānapada enjoyed executive powers amounting to punishing even the provincial heads of the empire. It would be idle to deny the existence of such institutions or to underrate the nature of the onerous work which fell to their lot.

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¹ See author's article in the *Ind. His. Quarterly*, Vol. VI (1930), pp. 181-4, with N. N. Law's reply thereon.

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