The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c9.s2.t1.101

c9.s2.t1.101

To watch over government servants, feudatories, nobles and the people at large, a host of spies swarmed the land. Bhīṣma declares that the employment and direction of spies is one of the prime duties of the king. They are to be set in cities, provinces and the territories of feudatories. None is to escape their glance, not even the king's sons, relations, friends or counsellors. No place is to be free from their ubiquitous presence. They must frequent parks and pleasure-grounds, courts, houses, shops, meetings of scholars and crowds of common people.³ One of the functions which fell to the lot of spies in ancient India was that which falls to the lot of journalists at present. They had to submit to the sovereign regular reports on public feeling on the doings of the government in the cities and provinces.