Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c7.33

c7.33

'*Upasthāna*' *and Agnyāgāra.* It will be seen from the above time-table that the king's hours of retirement and rest from public work were from 9 P.M. to 4-30 A.M., after which followed his round of daily administrative duties of different kinds. The most important of these was his daily Darbar in the Hall of Audience where he usually spends three hours in the morning from 6 A.M., personally disposing of the suits of petitioners who are given free access to him. It is pointed out that the king who makes himself inaccessible to his people (*durdarśa*) and entrusts his work to his officers in attendance will cause confusion in business and even public disaffection. It may be noted that the term *Upasthāna* signifies the *sthāna* or place where people wait to have a sight of the king (*Upatiṣṭhante sandarśanārthino rājānāmatra iti Upasthānagṛiham* [Commentator on X. I].