The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c7.102

c7.102

Round the king there seems to have been a circle of relations, friends, and chief officers, some of whom were called king-makers. "They that are kings, king-makers, that are charioteers and troop-leaders (headmen ?) subjects to me do thou, O Parṇa, make all people round about."⁷ The Pañcaviṁśa Brâhmaṇa mentions eight Vîras or heroes, round the king, *viz.*, his brother, son, Purohita, Mahiṣî, Sûta, Grâmaṇî, Kṣatra and Saṁgrahîtṛi.⁸ The Taittirîya Saṁhitâ and the Taittirîya Brâhmaṇa give a fuller list of the Ratnins or jewels: Brâhmaṇa, Râjanya (noble), Mahiṣī (first wife of the king), vâvâta (favourite wife of the king), Parivṛkti (discarded wife), the Senâni, commander of the army, the Sûta, charioteer, the Grâmaṇī, village headman, the Kṣatra, chamberlain, the Saṃgrahītṛi, treasurer, the Bhâgadugha, collector of taxes, and the Akṣâvâpa, superintendent of dicing or thrower of dice.¹ The Maitrâyaṇī Saṃhitâ varies the order of enumeration and adds the Takṣa, carpenter, the Rathakâra, chariot-maker and Govikarta, slayer of cows or huntsman.² It is difficult to conjecture the exact status and functions of these notables but it may be surmised that after the age of the Ṛigveda there had ensued a good deal of administrative development, that there had come into being a number of household officers and administrative functionaries, that no clear distinction had been drawn between the two and that probably the same persons acted in a double capacity.