Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c4.s2.25

c4.s2.25

The functions and powers of the *gāmabhojaka* were wide and important. He exercised judicial powers and also executive authority, so far as his civil and, to a certain extent, criminal jurisdiction extended. Thus one *gāmabhojaka* issued prohibitions against the slaughter of animals within his jurisdiction,¹ and another stopped the sale of wine.² Elsewhere³ a *gāmabhojaka* fined a fisherman's wife for stirring up a quarrel and she was tied up and beaten to make her pay the fine. Once, when crops failed in a village due to famine, the headman distributed food to the famine-stricken villagers on promise of receiving a share of their next crops.⁴ These instances sufficiently indicate that the headman had substantial powers at his command. But his powers were not unlimited, not completely transferred. He could not become a tyrant in his own village.