Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c11.s6.22

c11.s6.22

It may be finally noted that it was probably the culture and importance of the Vaiśya and Śūdra alike which entitled them to a place in the ceremony of Ratnahavīṁshi or jewel-offerings in connection with the Rājasūya. Among the recipients of these offerings (the Ratninaḥ) we find the *Grāmaṇī*, the *Go-nikartana* (Superintendent of games and forests), and the *Pālāgala* (*Courier*) [*Śatapatha. Br.*, v, 3, 1, 3, etc.], or the *Vaiśya-grāmaṇī* and *Taksha-rathakārau* (the carpenter and the chariot-maker) [*Maitr. Saṁ.*, ii, 6, 5; iv, 3, 8], along with the other principal officers of the State (lit. the "jewels" in the crown of sovereignty) such as the *Senānī* (commander-in-chief), the *Purohita*, the queen-consort (*Mahishī*), the *Sūta* (court minstrel and chronicler), the *Kshattṛi* (chamberlain), the treasurer (*Saṁgrahītṛi*), the collector *Bhāgadugha*), and the superintendent of dicing (*Akshāvāpa*). The Atharvaveda [iii, 5, 7] gives a list of the *Rāja-kartṛis* or *Rāja-kṛits* who, not themselves kings, aided in the consecration of the king and these were the *Sūta*, the *Ratha-kāra* (the representative of the industrial population), the *Grāmaṇī* and the *Viśaḥ* (the people generally).