The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c15.74

c15.74

In the Gupta age, as in other periods of ancient Indian history, the same officers might perform various functions. There was no real separation of civil and military, executive, judicial and revenue functions. But there were officials who were occupied predominantly with only one side of the administration. The chief judicial officers are designated Daṇḍanāyaka, Mahādaṇḍanāyaka, Sarvadaṇḍanāyaka or Mahāsarvadaṇḍanāyaka. Other variations of the designation are Daṇḍādhipa, Daṇḍanātha, Daṇḍābhinātha, Daṇḍādhipati, Daṇḍeśa, Daṇḍeśvara. Daṇḍa also means an army in Sanskrit literature. There are inscriptions which equate Daṇḍābhinātha with Camūpa and thus make him undoubtedly a military commander. But, on the whole, judicial officers are meant. Possibly, Daṇḍanāyaka, Mahādaṇḍanāyaka, Sarvadaṇḍanāyaka and Mahāsarvadaṇḍanāyaka represent different grades in the judicial hierarchy.