Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c9.73

c9.73

**Accountant-General** (*Aksha-paṭalādhyaksha*). Like the *Samāhartā* and the *Sannidhātā*, there was another officer at the Centre to control the Departments and District Officers. He was the Accountant-General who was in charge of the two offices of Currency (*Akshapaṭala*) and Accounts (*Gaṇanā*). The term *Aksha-paṭala* means the *paṭala* or office where visible objects like coins are counted (*Akshā gaṇanayogyāni rūpyakādīni teshāṁ paṭalaṁ sthānaṁ Aksha-paṭalam*) [I. 1]. His first duty is to bring together the Heads of different Departments (*tattadadhyakshāṇāṁ sambhūya sva-sva-karmānushṭhānadeśaṁ kārayet*) [Commentary on II. 7], and then to provide for them necessary office accommodation. He is to arrange for different rooms for different Departments and for their Heads in accordance with their rank (*vibhaktopasthānaṁ vibhaktāni uttama-madhyama-adhamānāmadhyakshānāṁ pṛithak-sthityanukulatayā vibhajya*). He is also to fit up the rooms with accommodation for the books of accounts and records (*nibandha-pustakasthānaṁ*).