The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c20.68

c20.68

The Nâdol Stone Inscription of Râyapâla (Mârwâr, Râjpûtânâ) of 1141 or 1142 A.D. is extremely important for local administration. Here sixteen Brâhmaṇas, inhabitants of eight different wards of the town of Dhâlopa, and another man named Devaica, a mediator, head all the men of the town in presenting a document, drafted by them, to the ruler. They promise to find out, in accordance with the custom of the country, through the Caukaḍikā or pañcāyata, whatever is lost by or snatched away from the Bhaṭa, the Baṭṭaputra, Dauvārika, Kārpaṭika, Vaṇijjāraka and others on their way. The individuals responsible for a particular ward were to busy themselves in person in tracing out any articles lost therein. The Mahārāja Śrīrājyapāla supplied the people with money, weapons and watchmen, etc., for tracing lost articles. The document ended with an imprecation that if a Brāhmaṇa refused to share in this task of investigation, he might die like a cur, a donkey or a caṇḍāla, and no blame would rest on the chiefs or Rāṇakas. Apart from its feudalism, the document shows that a town was divided into a number of wards, at least eight in this particular case, that the inhabitants with recognised leaders at their head undertook some important police duties, that all, even Brāhmaṇas, were expected to give their personal services in the task and that the whole thing was managed with the knowledge and assistance of the ruler. The document was signed by many witnesses, including the Bhaṭṭārakas of temples.¹