[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [Chandragupta Maurya and His Times](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.mookerji-1943) › c19.14 # Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c19.14 Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c19.14 - **Language:** English ### [c19.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.mookerji-1943.c19.14) | \*Aśoka's Edicts.\* | \*Kauṭilya's Arthaśāstra.\* | | | \*paśuvraja\* and \*vaṇikpatha\*, an officer in charge of cattle and communications including trade-routes by both land and sea (\*sthala-patha vāripathaścha\*) \[Kauṭilya, II. 37\]. The \*Vivītādhyaksha\* of Kauṭilya \[II. 34\] corresponds to such an officer. His duty was to establish wells and tanks, groves of flower-and fruit-trees in arid (\*anudake\*) tracts, to keep the roads in order, arrest thieves, see to the safety of caravans of merchants and to protect cattle. | | 25. The officers called \*Strī-adhyaksha--mahāmātras\* in RE. XII. | 25. Kauṭilya \[I. 10\] also refers to \*Mahāmātras\* who were attached to the royal harem. As they had to deal with women, the special qualification emphasised for them is sexual purity (\*kamopadhāśuddhān\*) and they are to be placed in charge of the places of pleasure both in the capital and outside \[\*bāhyābhyantara-vihāra-rakshāsu\*\]. In passing, it may be noted that the word \*bāhya\* of Kauṭilya occurs also in RE. V. in the expression "\*Hida cha\* (or \*Paṭalipute cha\*)" | - [Previous: c19.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.mookerji-1943.c19.13) - [Next: c19.15](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.mookerji-1943.c19.15) - [Up: c19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.mookerji-1943.c19) ## Linked texts (1) - [Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.artha.kautilya.2.34) — Kauṭilya, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.mookerji-1943.c19.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.mookerji-1943.c19.14) · Pramāṇa