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Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c8.s3: Greek Accounts

Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c8.s3

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Greek Accounts

c8.s3.1

We may now consider the Greek evidence on the subject of the king's Council.

Diodorus

c8.s3.t1.1

Diodorus, in his epitome of Megasthenes, mentions "the Councillors and Assessors who deliberate on public affairs. It is the smallest class, looking to number, but the most respected, on account of the high character and the wisdom of its members; for from their rank the Advisers of the king are taken, and the Treasurers of the State, and the arbiters, who settle disputes. The generals of the army also, and the Chief Magistrates usually belong to this class."

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**Strabo.** Strabo [XV, I, 46-9] referring to the "Councillors and Assessors" of the king states that "to them belong the highest posts of government, the tribunals of justice, and the general administration of public affairs."

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**Arrian.** Arrian [*Indika*, XI, 12] says: "There are the Councillors of the State who advise the king or the magistrate of the self-governed cities, in the management of public affairs. In point of numbers, this is a small class, but it is distinguished by superior wisdom and justice, and hence enjoy the prerogative of choosing governors, chiefs of provinces, deputy governors, superintendents of the treasury, generals of the army, admirals of the navy, controllers, and commissioners, who superintend agriculture."

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**Council in Republics.** It is to be noted that, according to Arrian, the Council of Ministers was a part both of monarchical and republican constitutions. We have already seen how many were the republican peoples who had taken a prominent part in the politics of Mauryan India.

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**Correspondence to 'Amatyas'.** We have also to observe that the Greek descriptions of the Councillors and Assessors probably correspond to what Kauṭilya says about the class of officers called by the general name of *Amātyas*. It is out of these *Amātyas* that the Ministers themselves are recruited, as also the Heads of Departments, on the basis of certain tests and qualifications. Thus the body of *Amātyas* made up the Civil Service of the country, to which were recruited persons possessing the highest qualifications.

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**Mantri proper or Prime Minister.** The full scheme of Kauṭilya's administrative arrangements may be thus stated. Firstly, the king depends most upon what is called his *Mantrī*, the Chief Minister, or the Prime Minister, as well as his preceptor or *Purohita*. They were of the first rank in administration. Next to them come the king's Counsellors or Advisors who are called *Mantrīs* or Ministers, and the other class of Mantrīs who form the *Mantriparishad*. All these come under the general class of officers called *Amātyas*.

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**His Rank.** It would appear that the rank of the Chief Minister as the Mantrī proper is indicated by the payment of the highest salary to him, a salary of 48,000 *paṇas*. The salary attached to a Mantrī, who was a member of the *Mantriparishad*, was only 12,000 *paṇas*.

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**Qualifications.** As regards the qualifications of the Chief Minister, it is laid down that he must be a native of the country (*Jānapada*). He should be senior in age (*pragalbha*), possessed of eloquence (*vājmī*), resourceful (*pratipattimān*), of unimpeachable honesty, of good physique.

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*Agrāmātya.* It is interesting to note that, according to *Divyāvadāna*, Bindusāra, Chandragupta's son, had Khallāṭaka as his Prime Minister called *Agrāmātya*, and that the *Agrāmātya* of Asoka was Rādhagupta.

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Purohita as Minister of first rank. As Regards the *Purohita*, he should be proficient in the Vedas and the six *Aṅgas*, in Jyotisha (*Daiva*), in the science of Omens (*Nimitta*), and also in the science of Polity (*Daṇḍanīti*), and the practices of Atharvaveda. "Him the king should follow as a pupil his preceptor, a son his father, and a servant his master. Thus brought up by Brāhmaṇas and trained in statecraft by a qualified Minister, and disciplined by the precepts of the Sāstras, the king will conquer the invincible [I. 9]."

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Public Service Commission. There is a constitutional importance attaching to the offices of the Prime Minister and the Purohita. It appears that the king appointed by himself the *Amātyas* who should serve him as Ministers or *Mantrīs* either as (a) the Prime Minister (*Mantrī* proper) and Chief Purohita or as (b) the group of three or four Mantrīs who should be always ready to hand (*Āsanna*) as the king's Counsellors or Advisors, or as (c) Ministers who would constitute the *Mantriparishad* or Council of Ministers. All appointments other than those of the Ministers of these three classes were made by the king acting with his two Ministers, the Prime Minister, and the High Priest (*Mantripurohita-sakhaḥ*) [I. 10]. Thus these two Ministers and the king formed an inner Council functioning as a sort of a Public Service Commission for making the higher administrative appointments, such as the Heads of the basis of both mental and moral qualifications out of candidates who were considered eligible for appointment as *Amātyas* [I. 8]. They were tested by temptations pertaining to *Dharma* (Duty), *Artha* (Wealth), *Kāma* (Moral Character) and *Bhaya* (Fear) [I. 10].

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It is interesting to note that Megasthenes also mentions that it was the Council which appointed all higher officers of the State including provincial Governors.

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**Tests for Appointments.** In the first, a priest is dismissed and is set upon *Amātyas* whom he incites to rebel against the king on the ground that he is unrighteous (*Adhārmikaḥ*). In the second, a general is dismissed for supposed embezzlement to tempt *Amātyas* by money for conspiring to murder the king. For the third test, a woman spy in the guise of an ascetic (*parivrājikā*) is employed to corrupt the *Mahāmātras*, telling each in turn that the Queen is in love with him. For the fourth test, Ministers are tempted to enter into a plot against the king's life. [*Ib*].

c8.s3.t1.14

**Principle of Selection: Appointments to Courts of Justice.** The rule of appointment is that those Ministers who have stood the religious test should be appointed as judges, both civil (*Dharmasthīya*), and criminal (*Kaṇṭakaśodhana*) [*Ib.*].

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**Revenue and Stores.** *Amātyas* who proved themselves above bribery should be appointed as Heads of Departments dealing with Revenue and Stores (*Samāhartṛi Sannidhātṛi-nichayakarmasu*) [*Ib.*].

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**Harem.** *Amātyas* who have shown themselves [...] flesh would be the best officers to take charge of Departments concerning women. They are to be placed in charge of the king’s harems both in capital, and also in the outlying parts (*Bāhyābhyantara-vihārarakshāsu*) [*Ib.*]. The king’s harems outside the capital were meant for the king’s female companions (*Bhoginyaḥ*). The harem of the Palace accommodated the Queens known as *Devīs* [Commentator].

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Asoka's Harems. It is interesting to note in this connection that Asoka in one of his inscriptions [R.E. V] speaks of his harems (*orodhana*) and those of his brothers, and also the residences of his sisters, situated both in the capital at Pāṭaliputra (*hida Pāṭalipute cha*) and also in the outlying towns (*bahiresu cha nagaresu*). Asoka also refers to his second Queen (*Dutīyāye devīye*) named Kāruvākī, mother of Prince Tivara, and to her residence at the *bāhira nagara* of Kauśāmbī. In his Pillar Edict VIII, Asoka makes another mention of his Queens and harems both at Pāṭaliputra and in the provinces (*diśāsu*) and also refers to his sons, whether the sons of his Queens (*Devikumāras*) or of his other wives (*Dārakas*). Asoka also, following Kauṭilya’s injunctions, places special officers called *Dharmamahāmātras* in charge of these harems. One is tempted to suggest that the very title of these officers called *Dharmamahāmātras* is due to the fact that these must have been tested by the *Dharma-upadhā* or *Kāma-upadhā* of Kauṭilya (*Kāma* being taken to be included in the *Dharma* test). In his Rock Edict XII also, Asoka creates special officers to take charge of the interests of the women-folk and designates them as *Strī-Adhyaksha-Mahāmātras*. Apart from these Inscriptions referring to the many harems of Asoka, we know from *Mahāvaṁsa* of Asoka marrying the lady called Vedisa-Mahādevī-Śākyakumārī when he was serving as Viceroy at Ujjain. She did not follow Asoka as king to Pāṭaliputra where he lived with his chief Queen (*Agramahishī*), Asandhimitrā, but she lived on at Vedisa which was thus another outlying town where Asoka had a harem [V. 85 and XX].

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**Appointment of King's Bodyguard.** Lastly, there were the officers who would prove themselves to be proof against fear, and would not by any means be coerced into disloyalty to the king. These ardent loyalists, dare-devils, and desperados would be chosen to constitute the king's bodyguard (*Āsanna-kāryeshu*).

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**Out of the way Posts.** Officers who fail in one or the other of the above tests were to be employed at a distance as Superintendents of Mines, Timber or Elephant forests, or Manufactories (*Karmānta*).

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**Mantris.** *Amātyas* who successfully stood all the above four tests were eligible for appointment to the exalted office of Mantrī or Ministers of aforesaid three grades.

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**Ordinary Employees.** It is also laid down that persons qualified to be *Amātyas* but not tested and tried will be employed in the general departments (*sāmānya-adhikaraṇa*).

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**Ambassadors, Secretaries and Heads of Departments.** *Amātyas* were also eligible for appointment as Ministers Plenipotentiary (*nisṛishṭārthaḥ*). An *Amātya* not fully qualified to be Ambassador was employed on special missions (*parimitārthaḥ*) or as bearer of royal writs (*śāsanaharaḥ*) [I. 16]. *Amātyas* were also appointed as *Lekhakas* or the king's Secretaries in charge of his correspondence [II. 10], and also as *Adhyakshas* or Heads of Departments [II. 9].

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Intelligence Department. Kauṭilya further prescribes [I. 11] that the king, acting with his ministers, will make appointments to the Intelligence Department of administration. The appointing authority for this rather difficult Department is specified as *Amātyavarga* of proved qualifications (*upādhibhiśśuddha*). This should mean the group of Ministers including the Prime Minister or *Mantrī*, the Purohita, and the king's Advisors aforesaid. For it is laid down [I. 10] that those *Amātyas* who were found competent by all possible tests were appointed as Mantrīs (*Sarvopadhāśuddhān Mantriṇaḥ kuryāt*).

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The King's extraordinary powers. It may be noted that the king, besides reserving to himself the power of making the higher appointments of Ministers, Informers, and Heads of Departments, had to reserve to himself certain extraordinary powers against emergencies arising out of internal (*abhyantara*) or external (*bāhya*) troubles (*kopa*). The internal trouble is more serious for the State, and has to be put down by drastic measures. It is stated that such a trouble arises out of disloyalty or disaffection of the king's highest officers namely (1) *Mantrī* (Prime Minister) (2) *Purohita* (3) *Senāpati* and (4) *Yuvarāja*. If the king is at fault, he must acknowledge and abandon it (*Ātma-dosha-tyāgena*). Otherwise, his only remedy is to imprison (*saṁrodhana*) or to banish (*avasrāvaṇa*) them. In the case of the rebellious Crown Prince, it may even extend to extreme punishment (*Nigraha*). The disaffection of other officers (*Amātyas*) is to be dealt with by suitable means (*yathārhamupāyān prāyuñjīta*).

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The sources of external trouble are stated to arise out of disaffection of officers named (1) *Rāshṭramukhya* (2) *Antapāla* (3) *Āṭavika* (4) and the subdued king (*daṇḍopanata*). The remedy is stated to be that one may be set against the other (*tamanyonyenāvagrāhayeta*) [IX. 3].

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