Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c19.3

c19.3

| *Asoka's Edicts.* | *Kauṭilya's Arthaśāstra.* |
| 1. *Mahāmātra*, a technical term for an officer of high rank occuring in many of the Edicts. They mention the *Mahāmātra* as being (a) in charge of cities like Isila, Samāpā [KRE. II] or Kosambi [MPE]; (b) associated with the princely Viceroys, as at Tosalī [KRE. II], or at Suvarṇagiri [MRE. I, Brahm.]; (c) placed in charge of over thousands of lives [KRE. II]; | 1. In the *Arthaśāstra*, the *Mahāmātra* also figures as a minister [I. 10, 12, 13] and as the chief executive officer of a city under the title *Nāgarika-Mahāmātra* [IV. 5]=*Mahāmātā-nagalaka* of KRE, I, Jaugada, while his status and influence will be evident from the fact that the seditious *Mahāmātra* is a cause of much concern to the king who has to send him out of the way [V. 1]. |