Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c9.25

c9.25

**Kauṭilya’s Scheme of Administration: The Province (*Janapada*).** The unit of administration in the Kauṭilīya scheme [II. 1] was the *Janapada* or Province which normally consisted of at least 800 villages with 100-500 families (*Kulaśatāvaraṁ pañchaśatākulavaraṁ*) to each village. If the normal family which was a joint family (*Kula*) be regarded as consisting of 10 members with three brothers and their children, then the total population under each provincial administration would number 40 lacs. The provincial Governor (*Rājūka*) under Asoka is stated in his Inscription [Pillar Edict V] to be ruling over “many hundreds of thousands of souls.”