[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897) › c12.14 # The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c12.14 The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c12.14 - **Language:** English ### [c12.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c12.14) Somewhat less general are the statements of the Jâtakas concerning the "leader of the army," the senâpati; of this officer they give us no clear picture but only a vague description. Often, as we saw, himself belonging to the ruling family, he seems to occupy a prominent place among the ministers, sometimes even the first place; in the Cullasutasoma Jâtaka, the King calls his ministers, having decided to renounce worldly life, with the senâpati at their head (\*senâpatipamukháni asítiamaccasahassáni\*, V. 178). Whether this office, conformably to its literal meaning—\*senâpati\* means "chief of the army"—was principally a military one, does not appear clearly from our texts; probably, in wars the \*senâpati\* occupied the next highest military post after the king.¹ In times of peace, he seemed to play a part which had little or nothing to do with the army; his chief work seemed rather to be the administration of justice. We read of a \*senâpati\* who in discharging his duties as a judge takes bribes (\*viniccayam karonto lañcam khádati\*) and thereby gives property to the wrong persons (\*asâmike sâmike karoti\*, II. 186). - [Previous: c12.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c12.13) - [Next: c12.15](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c12.15) - [Up: c12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c12) ## Linked texts (1) - [Jātaka](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.jataka.220) — Pāli --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c12.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.fick-1897.c12.14) · Pramāṇa