The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c20.162

c20.162

The Bhâdâna Grant of Aparâjita, belonging to the close of the 10th century A.D., shows a Mahâsâmantâdhipati Mahâmaṇḍaleśvarapañcamahâśabda commanding sub-feudatories, regular officers, heads of towns, people of Sthânas—police-stations—chief men and common people of the three principal castes. A Koṅkan Viṣaya comprised 1,400 villages. Here part of the revenue is not alienated to the grantee.⁵ It also proves that warfare often resulted in the enslavement of large numbers of men and women. The Gaṇapeśvara Inscription of the time of Gaṇapati, of the year 1231 A.D., from the Kṛṣṇâ district, refers to families which supplied hereditary servants of state. One of them, a special favourite with the king, received the dignity of a general and of a commander of the elephant troop along with a palanquin, a parasol and other emblems.⁶