Hindu Polity: A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times c44.68

c44.68

In the inscriptions of the Gupta period the same offices are distinguished by *Mahā*-and *Kumāra*-, *e.g.* *Daṇḍanāyaka*, *Mahā-Daṇḍanāyaka*, and *Daṇḍanāyaka-kumārāmātya*. The simple *Daṇḍanāyaka* would be one of the two junior ministers to the MahāDaṇḍanāyaka, and the *Kumārāmātya*—(the 'young-minister)' *Daṇḍanāyaka* would be the juniormost. The second minister might have been called Mahā-Kumārāmātya *i.e.*, the senior under-secretary. This interpretation may be also considered with reference to various designations of the classes in the inscriptions of the Gupta times where *Mahā-Pradhāna*, *Mahā-Sāndhi-vigrahika*, *Mahā-Daṇḍa-nāyaka*, etc., figure.³