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Indian Polity & Governance

Chapter: The Mauryan
Chandragupta founded it in 322 B.C. with the help of his Brahmin Minister Chanakya.

References and Sources

The most important source in Artha Sastra which has 15 chapters called Adhikaranas. Other
Sanskrit sources are Kaumudi Mahotsava of Vajika and Mudraraksha of Visakhadutta. Sangam
poets named Mamulnar and Pamar described about Bimba Mauryas attack on South India.
1. Division of Indian Society into seven castes - Megasthenes
2. Absence of slavery - Megasthenes
3. Chronology and list of Mauryan Kings - Puranas
4. Economic and Political Conditions - Arthashastra
5. Social and Economic Conditions - Jatakas
6. Role of Ashoka in spreading Buddhism to Sri Lanka - Dipvamsa & Mahavamsa
7. Conversion of Chandragupta Parisistparvan of Maurya to Jainism his abdication of throne
and going to Sravanbelagola -Hemachandra
8 Absence of usury (Money lending) - Megasthenes
9. Ashokas favour to Ajivikas - Barabar Hill cave inscriptions
10. Construction of Sudarsana Lake - Junagarh Rock Inscription of Rudraman I.
11. Killing of 99 of his brothers and seizing of throne by Ashoka Mahavamsa & Dipavamsa
12. The name Ashoka - Maski Gujarra, Nittur and Udegolam Edicts
13. Existance of an Ashokan Pillar at Sanakisa with a lion capital - Fahien
14. The Mauryan army is band of dacoits - Justin
I 5. Jaluka was the successor of Ashoka in Kashmir - Rajataringini
16. Pushyagupta the provincial governor of Saurastra was the brother-in-law of Chandragupta
Maurya - Junagarh Rock Inscription
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17. Mauryan army consisted of 600000 army men -Plutarch
18. Bindusar asked Antiochus I of Syria for some sweet wine - Hegesander (quoted by Atheneus)
dried figs and a philosopher

Central Administration
Adhyakshya

High ranking officials next to Tirthas concerned mostly with economic func-tions and
some military duties. They were twenty in number.

Amatyas

High ranking officers who acted as present day secretaries, who func-tioned in
administrative and judicial capacity.

Higher ranking officials irrespective of the duties assigned of them. These are
Mahamattas references to them as a ministerial of advisory council as well. The Arthasastra uses
this term in the sense of a minister.
Tirthas

Highest category of officials form the inner council apart form council of ministers.
They were eighteen in number.

Administrative Divisions and Officers Associated with them

Province
i. Kumara (Governors, title given to Sons of king).
ii. Aryaputra (Governors, title given to persons of royal blood, usually kings relatives).

District
i. Pradesikas (head of the district, looked after law & order and revenue collection.
ii. Raj juka (looked after rural administration and justice).

Group of Villages
i. Sthanika (looked after tax collection).
ii. Gopa (Accountant).

Village
i. Gramika (Village headman).

Provinces during the Mauryan Age

1. Uttarapatha Taxila
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2. Dakshinapatha Suvarngiri
3. Prachaya Patliputra
4. Kalinga Tosali
5. Avantiratha Ujjain
Deptt. Head
1. Panyadhayaksha
2. Sulkadhyaksha
3. Akaradhyaksha
4. Lohadhyaksha
5. Sitadyaksha
6. Aksha patala adhayaksha
7. Lakshanadhyaksha
8. Sutradhyaksha
9. Sansthadhyasksha
10. Pautvadhyasksh
11. Kupyadhyarksha
12. Sunadhyaksha
13. Ganikadhyaksha
14. Manadhyaksha
15. Hastyadhyaksha
16. Asvadhyaksha
17. Rathadhyaksha

Deptt.
Commerce/fixed Prices.
Tolls/Customs
Mines
Iron
Crown lands
Accounts
Mint
Textile
Market
Weights and Measures
Minerals
Slaughter house
Prostitutes and dancers
Weights
Elephantiy
Cavalry
Chariotzy

Important Maharnattas
1. Vyavharika Mahamatta Judicial officer
2. Senanay Mahamatta Military officer
3. Sabbatthakamaharnattas Chief Minister
4 Donamapakamahamatta Assessment officer
5. Dhammamahaniattas Officer of dharama
6. Amtamahamattas Office Incharge of frontier areas
7. Itijhakaniahamattas Officer-in- charge of women/harem

Espionage
1. Pulisanj Public relation officers, gathered public opinion, reported to the king
2. Pativedaka Special reporter, had direct access to the king at any hour
3. Sanstha Spies who worked remain-ing at a place
4. Sancharah Spies who were mobile
5. Cara Secret agents mentioned in Arthashastra
6. Gudha-Purusha Secret agents mentioned in Arthashastra
7. Visha Kanya Women spies.
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Army

Plutarch and Justin have described about Chandraguptas army.

Size and organisation of army was fairly large.
According to Pliny it comprised 60000 infantry, 30000 cavalry, and 10000 elephants.
According to Plutarch it consisted of 20000 infantry, 80000 horses, 6000 elephants and
8000 war chariots.
Chanakya refers to Chaturangbala comprising infantry, cavalry, chariots and elephants as
the principal organs of the army.
Army administration was run by six committees (according to Megasthenes).
Each committee consisted to five members (according to Megasthenes).
Each committee was entrusted with a particular branch namely infantry cavalry elephants,
chariots, admiralty and transport & supplies.
The officers and soldiers were paid in cash.
Salaries of some important officers were: Senapati-4800 pana, Nayaka- 1200 pana,
Mukhyas-8000 pana, Adhyaksha 4000 pana.

City Administration
Megasthanese has given prohific information on Municipal adminis-tration of pataliputra whIch was
devided in to 30 words.
Run by a city council known as Astyanomi
City council consist of six sub-councils/committees
Each committee had five members.
Each committee was entrusted with a particular work namely:

First Committee - Industry & crafts

Second Committee - Foreigners
Third Committee - Registration of births & deaths
Fourth Committee - Trade & commerce, weights & measures
Fifth Committee - Manu- factured goods
Sixth Committee - Collection on the goods sold

Head of the city administration was Nagraka.

Nagrika wa assisted by two subordinate officials namely: Sthanika & Gopa.
Rakshi was the police who looked after the people's security.

Taxes

Sita-Crowniand
Bhag-Land tax 1/6
Bali-Voluntary offering

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Vastu-Tax taken from rural areas

Durg-Tax taken from urban areas
Kara Orchard tax
Vivit-Tax imposed on pasture land

Facts about Ashokan Edicts & Inscriptions

Maski Gujarra, Nittur and Odegolam edicts mention the name Ashoka
Ashokan edicts were deciphered by James Princep in 1837.
The Topra & Meerut Pillars were brought to Delhi by Firoz Shah Tughlaq.
The Kausambi Pillar was brought to Allahabad by Jehangir.
The Bairat inscription was brought to Calcutta by Cunningham.
The major rock edicts at Manshera & Shahbazgarhi are in Kharoshthi script.
The Kandahar inscription is bilingual written in Greek & Armenic.
Most of the Ashokan edicts are written in Brahmi script.
The language used in Ashokan edicts except Kandhar is Prakrit.
The inscription in fragmentary condition found at Lampaka/Lamghan is in Aramaic.
In edicts Ashoka generally refers to himself by the title Devanampiya Priyadarshi.
The Allahabad pillars (brought from Kausainbi) contains the inscription of Samudragupta
and Jehangir also.
Major rock edicts are fourteen in number.
Total number of pillar edicts is thirteen, they are inscribed on ten pillars-out of thirteen
seven are major pillars edicts and two are commemorative pillar edicts.
Of the four minor pillars edicts, one is known as Queens edict and it is on Allahabad pillar.
This was dedicated to Ashokas wife Tisrakshita. In this inscription the description of his son
Teevar was found.
Schism edicts (one each) are found on Allahabad, Sanchi and Sarnath Pillars. There are
called the inscription for stopping the division.
The commemorative pillar edicts are Rumeindei and Nigalisagar (both in Nepal)
The longest among the major rock edict is 13th rock edict. In this edict the war of Kalinga
has been described. The slave system has also been described in this edict.
7th Pillar edict is longest among all the edicts.
The Allahabad pillar contains first six pillar edicts, Queens edict, Kosam Schism edict,
Prasasti of Samudragupta written by Harisena and some decrees of Jehangir.
Kharosthi script was admixture of Armeic and Brahini.

Various Edicts

Contents Personal history of Ashoka

1st Edicts
Don't kill any animal except dear and Peacock.

Peacock
3rd Major Rock Edict
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Ashoka has created 3 new post.
1. Pradeshika District Magistrate.
2. Rajjuka Reveneue officer, who also looks after the judicial things.
3. Yukta Correspondence clerk.
5th Major Rock edict : Ashoka created new post of Dhartna Mahamatya.
6th Major Rock edict : In this edict it has been mentioned that Prativedaka can meet anywhere to
king regarding state affairs
8th Major Rock edict : In this edict it has been mentioned that at the 10th year of his ruling
Ashoka went Bodhgaya and worshiped pipal tree.
13th Major Rock edict : This is the Biggest edict in which war of kalinga has been mentioned.
The description of Satlyaputra found here.
14th Major Rock edict: My Kingdom is vast.

2. Minor Rock Edicts

Contents Personal history of Ashoka
Location 1. Siddapura (Karnataka) 2. Jatinga Rameshwara (Karnataka) 3. I3rahmagiri
(Karnataka) 4. Rupnath (MP) 5. Shasaram (Bihar) 6. Bairat (Rajasthan) 7. Maski (Karnataka) 8.
Govimath (Mysore) 9. Palkigundu (Mysore) 10. Rajula Mandagin (Karnataka) 11. Yerragudi
(Karnataka) 12. Gujarat (MP) 13. Ahraura (UP)

3. Major Pillar Edicts

Contents These are appendix to rock edicts.
Location 1. Allahabad (UP) 2. Delhi Topra (Punjab) 3. Delhi-Merritt (UP) 4. Lauriya Areraj
(Bihar) 5. Lauriya Nandangarh (Bihar) 6. Rampurva (Bihar)

4. Minor Pillar Edicts

Contents Ashokas Obsession with Dhamina
Location 1. Allahabad (UP)2. Sanchi (UP) 3. Sarnath (UP)

5. Kalinga Edicts
Contents System of administration in Kalinga

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Location 1. Dhauli (Orissa) 2. Jaugada (Orissa)

6. Bhabru Edicts
Contents Ashokas conversion to Buddhism and his reverence for his religion
Location Calcutta (WB) brought from Bairat (Rajasthan)

7. Barabar cave Inscription

Contents Donation of the caves to Ajivikas
Location 1. Barabar Hills (Gaya, Bihar) 2. Number of caves in three namely Banyan tree
(Sudama) cave,Khalatika/Visvajhopri cave and Supiya/Kama Chaupar Cave

Names of Chandragupta Maurya

Sandokoptos - Phylarchus (quoted by Athaneous)

Sandrocottus - Strabo, Arian, Justin
Palibrothers - Adopted by king
Patliputraka - Adopted by king
Androcottus - Appian plutarch
Chandra Sin - Mudrarakshasa
Piadsama - Mudrarakshasa
Pnyadarshana - Mudrarakshasa
Vrishala - Mudrarakshasa
Kulahina - Mudrarakshasa
Maurya Putra - Mudrarakshasa
Piyadassi - Mudrarakshasa

Names of Bindusar

Amitraghata - Sanskrit (literally slayer of forces)

Amitrakhada - Sanskrit (literally eater of forces)
Arnitrachates - Athaneous
Allitrochades - Strabo
Simasena - Rajavalikatha
Bindupala - Fa-Puen Chulin (A Chinese text)

Names & Title of Ashoka

Ashoka - Personal name

Priyadarssi - Official name (probably used after coronation)
Devanampriya - Royal title (Ageneral royal title of the period)
Ashoka - Maski, Nittur, Gujarra & Udegolam Edict
King of Magadh - Bhabru edict
Ashokvardhan - Puranas

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Ashoka Maurya - Junagarh Inscription

Priyadarsi - Dipavamsa
Priyadarsi - Kandahar Inscription
Priyadarsi Raja - Barabar hill cave Inscription

Foreign Emissary/Ambassador In The Muryan Court

1. Megasthenes by Seleucus to the court of Chandragupta Mauryas
2. Deimachos by Antiochus I, King of Syria - to the court of Bindusar
3. Dionysios by Ptolemy II - to the court of Bindusar

Animal Capitals Surmounting The Ashokan Pillars

Ranipurva I Single Lion

Laurya-Nandangarh Single Lion
Basarah (Vaishali) Single Lion
Rampurva II Single Bull
Sarnath Four Lions
Sanchi Four Lions
Sankisa Single Elephant

Religious Belief of The Mauryas

Chandragupta Jainism (According to Bhadrabahucharit)

Bindusar Ajivikas
Ashoka Buddhism (according to Kaihan)
Dasaratha Ajivikas
Samprati Jain

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