The Mauryan Polity c8.s3.t10: Poor relief
The Mauryan Polity c8.s3.t10
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Poor relief
c8.s3.t10.1
The social functions came in for a large item of the expenditure. Public poor relief was deemed as one of the functions of the State. The State undertook to protect the aged, the starving, and the disabled poor. It also helped otherwise poor people who deserved consideration at its hands like the *śrotriyas* and the ascetics. It was again the patron of the Brahman and the *Śramaṇa*.¹ It guarded the interests of the orphan and the widow. Relief of distress was also regarded as one of the kingly duties. The state anticipated dangers, providential and otherwise, like famines and epidemics, and made provision for such emergent purposes by keeping in reserve half of the total revenues collected possibly both in kind and cash. Whenever the unexpected happened, relief came by advances from the storehouse.
c8.s3.t10.2
¹ See *Meg. Fg.* Rock Edicts IV and XI.