History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.261

v4.c62.261

The high functionaries and office-holders have been different at different times. In the Vedic age, in the performance of the Rājasūya, there are certain offerings (generally twelve in number) which are called 'ratnināṁ havīṁṣi'. Their order and names differ in different texts, though most are the same in all. Besides the king (the sacrificer), the eleven 'ratnas' (jewels) or 'ratnins' are (according to the Śat. Br. V. 3. 2), the commander-in-chief, the *purohita*, the crowned queen, *sūta*, *grāmaṇī*, *kṣattṛ* (chamberlain), *saṅgrahītṛ* (treasurer or charioteer?), *akṣāvāpa* (superintendent of gambling, or of the records?), *bhāgadugha* (collector of taxes), *govikartana* (? hunter), *dūta* (courier), *parivṛkti* (discarded queen). Vide H. Dh. vol. II. p. 1215 n and 1216. In Tai. Br. (I. 7. 3) they are the same as above except that *govikartana* is omitted and the queen called ‘*vāvātā*’ is added. These are described in the Tai. Br. I. 7. 3 as the bestowers of the kingdom (ete vai rāṣṭrasya pradātāraḥ). Vide also Tai. S. I. 8. 9. 1-2. It is clear from Śat. Br. V. 3. 2. 2 and 4 that some of these jewels like the commander-in-chief and the huntsman were of low caste or of the śūdra caste. Later on certain functionaries began to be called *tīrthas*, their number being 18; vide Sabhāparva 5. 38 (=Ayodhyā 100. 36) and Śānti 69. 52 for a reference to the 18 tīrthas.¹⁴⁶ Kauṭilya (I. 12) speaks of the 18 tīrthas and enumerates them.¹⁴⁷ In the Raghuvamśa 17.68 Kālidāsa employs the word tīrtha in this sense. According to the Nītivākyāmṛta (p. 29) persons who are helpers in dharma and state business are called tīrtha. In the Edicts of Aśoka the high officers were called mahāmātras (in Rock Edict XII there are dharma-mahāmātras) and other officers were yuktas, rājukas and prādeśikas (in Rock Edict III) of whom the first at least were subordinate to the council of ministers. Later writers like Govindarāja on Ayodhyā 100. 36, the com.