Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c8.20

c8.20

**Council of Ministers** (*Mantriparishad*). Besides this small body of Counsellors or Advisors (*Mantriṇaḥ*), the king must have a regular Council of Ministers (*Mantriparishad*). The Mānavas fix its number at 12, the Bārhaspatyas at 16, the Ośanasas at 20 but, according to Kauṭilya, it should be as required. Kauṭilya is evidently for a large Council. He cites with approval Indra's Council of 1000 Rishis. Though of only two eyes, He is known as one of thousand eyes, for these Rishis are his eyes (*tasmād imaṁ dvyakshaṁ sahasrākshamāhuḥ*) [I.15]. Kauṭilya mentions as one of the strong points of kingship the strength of his Council or *Parishad*. In his opinion, a king who is an *akshudraparishatka* lacks an important source of his power [VI. 1]. We may note that much earlier than the time of Chandragupta, Pāṇini, who did not live later than 500 B.C., refers to the *Parishad* as an accompaniment of kingship. He states [IV. 4, 44] that the members of a *Parishad* should be called *Pārishadyas*, while the king whose position was strengthened by his *Parishad* was called *Parishadvalaḥ* [V. 2, 112].