The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c18.102

c18.102

The inscriptions convey a fair idea of administrative structure when they enumerate the personages to whom the royal command is addressed. In the Khalimpur Plate of Dharmapâladeva, Râjans and Râjânakas head the list. The former is undoubtedly a feudal designation. It shows that feudatories were required to respect the suzerain’s commands and arrangements. It can also mean that the feudatories were employed in high office in the suzerain’s direct administration. The term Râjânaka signified minister in Kashmir and Chambâ. But the context of the Khalimpur Inscription indicates that some feudatories are meant. Perhaps they represent a grade definitely lower than that of Râjas but the point is not free from doubt. The grant in question is made at the request of Nârâyanavarman, the Mahâsâmantâdhipati—great chief of Sâmantas, that is, feudatories. It is probable that the greatest and most notable of the feudatories was given this title. The term Râjaputra which follows shows that princes, whether of the suzerain or of the feudal houses, were often employed in high administrative posts. Next, the Râjâmâtyas mean, as usual, the ministers of the king, probably only the highest ministers. The Dûtaka is not mentioned with other officers but he is evidently an officer of the highest importance. In the present inscription, the Yuvarâja himself seems to hold that position. The Senâpatis or commanders of armies stand next in order. Besides them there are a large number of officers. The Dauhsâdhasâdhanikas and Cauroddharanikas are obviously police-officers. The Dandasaktis and Dandapâsikas may be police-officers but it is more probable that they are judicial officers who are invested with the “power of punishment.” The Saulkikas and Gaulmikas were, as in the preceding epochs, concerned with the supervision of tolls and of forests. The Dûtas, Gamâgamikas¹ and Abhitvarmâṇas are the various classes of messengers. The mention of Kholas between Dûtas and Gamâgamikas indicates that the Kholas were also a class of messengers. The use of four, or at least, three different terms points to a gradation. In any case the frequent mention of messengers with responsible officers is an index of their importance and position. In a far-flung empire their function was necessarily one of great importance. To the central as to the subordinate offices were attached a number of secretaries or clerks, who, again, seem to be divided into grades. Kâyastha was the general term applied to them. Jyeṣṭhakâyasthas or chief writers are specially mentioned in the Khalimpur grant. Among fiscal officers, besides the Śaulkika is mentioned the Śaṣṭâdhikṛita, the superintendent or controller of the Śaṣṭhâṃśa or Ṣaḍbhâga, the traditional royal sixth of the land produce. The Tarikas were probably overseers of the ferries and collected the ferry tolls. There are a number of military officers, inspectors of the elephants, horse and other troops. Along with them are mentioned inspectors of boats, of cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep. The possibility of these inspectors being civil officers cannot be excluded but from the context and order of their enumeration, it seems that they belonged to the military departments and had charge of the boats which served as a sort of flotilla on the big rivers, and of the animals required for the supply of the army with various articles of diet and comfort. The tadâyuktakas and viniyuktakas are minor employees, perhaps both on the civil and military side. The Bhaṭas, as usual, are soldiers while Câṭas, as usual, are petty miscellaneous, chiefly, police officers.