Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c15.22

c15.22

Village Service. There were paid workmen in the service of the village. These were called *Grāmabhṛitakas* and included workers like the carpenter (*Kuṭṭaka*), the blacksmith (*Karmāra*, *Ayaskāra*), the potter, the inevitable barber (*Nāpita*) [II. 1; V. 2], and the washerman [V. 3]. A village had also its diggers (*Medaka*) and ropemakers (*Rajjuvartaka*). Grants of land without right of alienation were made to the following rural officers: (1) *Adhyaksha* (such as *Suvarṇādhyaksha*) (2) *Saṁkhyāyaka* (the village accountant), (3) *Gopa*, (4) *Sthānika*, (5) *Anīkastha* (trainer of elephants), (6) *Chikitsaka* (physician proper), (7) *Aśvadamaka* (trainer of horses), (8) *Jaṁghākarika* (courier) [II. 1].