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The Political Institutions and Theories of the Hindus: A Study in Comparative Politics c10.s2.t3: 3. The Power of the Ministers

The Political Institutions and Theories of the Hindus: A Study in Comparative Politics c10.s2.t3

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3. The Power of the Ministers

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In ancient Madras the orders of Râja-râja and Râjendra had to be approved of by the *Olai-nâyakam* (chief secretary) and another dignitary.³ And it was with the approval of the viceroy and the rural *sabhâs* concerned that the Chola promulgations were registered and preserved in the record office. It was in conjunction with the Council that the kings of Ceylon⁴ conferred immunities, issued decrees, and made grants. Sometimes we find the councillors making themselves into king-makers. With the "people's approval" they elected at least one historical ruler, Harṣa-vardhana, to kingship (A. C. 606).⁵

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³ Aiyangar's *Anc. Ind.*, 177—178.

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⁴ *Epigraphia Zeylanica*, Vol. I, nos. 9, 21; Vol. II, no. 5; *Infra*, p. 75.

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⁵ *Si-yu-ki*, Vol. I, pp. 210—211.

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In Kashmir, as we read in the *Râja-taraṅgiṇî*,⁶ Pratâpâditya I was invited by the ministers from abroad and installed on the throne. Similarly they were instrumental in crowning one of themselves, the minister Sandhimati, as Ârya-râja. The founder of the Karkota dynasty also, a man of humble origin, owed his coronation to the initiative of Premier Khankha (c 625).

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⁶ Books II, verses 6, 114—116, and III, verse 528.

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There are, besides, several instances of the ministers remonstrating with the king against arbitrary expenditure. If Hiuen Thsang's stories are to be relied on, Asoka the Great's financial extravagance was greatly curbed by his minister Râdhâ-gupta.¹ A councillor likewise prevented Vikramâditya of Srâvasti from indulging in ultra-philanthropic schemes. His arguments² were thoroughly modern. "Your Majesty", as the member of the council is said to have pointed out, "indeed will get credit for charity, but your minister will lose the respect of all *** and then fresh imposts will have to be laid *** and then the voice of complaint will be heard." The power of the council is likewise evident in an event of the second century A. C. It was out of his private purse that Rudradâmana, a satrap of the Kuṣâṇ Empire, was compelled to repair the Sudarśana Lake at Girnar (in Kathiawar, close to the Arabian Sea) because of the Council's opposition to the project.³

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¹ *Hiuen Thsiang*, Book VIII.

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² *Si-Yu-ki*, Vol. I, p. 106, 107.

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³ *Ep. Ind.*, 1905—1906, p. 49.

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As indicated above, the *Sabhâ* or *Pariṣat* as a supreme council of the state is well known in the *Râmâyaṇa*, the *Mahâbhârata* and the *nîti-śâstras* (literature on polity).⁴ But as yet positive knowledge about the institution exhausts itself merely in stray references to a few premiers, financiers or minister-generals of actual history.

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⁴ *Mahâbhârata* (*Sabhâ*, V, 30; *Śânti*, LXXXIII, 47), *Râmâyaṇa* (*Ayodhyâ*, C, 18), *Śatapatha Brâhmaṇa*, II, 3, 2, 3; V, 3, 1, 10. *Atharva Veda*, V, 31, 6, VII, 12, 1, 2; *Rig Veda*, VI, 28, 6, VIII, 4, 9; *J. A. O. S.*, Vol. XIII, pp. 148—151; *Śukra*, II, lines 23, 105—109, 110—113, 141—143, 145—148 (number of councillors), 220—224, 232—233 (board of three members for each department of state) etc.

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