Ha rsh a A d m in istra tio n :

Ha rsh a fo llo w ed th e tra d itio n a l m o n a rch ica l sy stem o f a d m in istra tio n

w h ich h a d ex isted in In d ia d u rin g th e ea rlier im p eria l p erio d s. His tim e
h a v in g b een n ea rer to th e G u p ta A g e, th e v a rio u s fea tu res o f th e
im p eria l G u p ta a d m in istra tio n in flu en ced Ha rsh a ’s a d m in istra tio n to a
v er y la r g e ex ten t. Yet, th ere w ere n ew in n o v a tio n s in a cco rd a n ce w ith
th e n eed s o f th e tim e.
M o reo v er, ev er y g rea t m o n a rch h a d h is p erso n a l d esig n s to sh a p e h is
a d m in istra tio n , a n d Ha rsh a to o w en t b y h is o w n in d iv id u a lity in
g o v ern in g th e em p ire.

Th e K in g :
In th eo r y, th e k in g w a s a b so lu te a n d a ll-p o w er fu l. Bu t in p ra ctice, h e
en jo y ed lim ited p o w er, b ein g su b ject to th e ru les o f th e Dh a rm a , th e
la w s a n d cu sto m s o f th e la n d , a n d to th e w ise a d v ice o f th e m in isters
a n d co u n tries. He h a d a lso to resp ect th e w ish es o f th e su b jects. Th e k in g
w a s n o d o u b t th e su p rem e la w m a k er, th e ch ief ex ecu tiv e, a n d th e
fo u n ta in o f ju stice. He w a s a lso th e cen tra l fig u re o f th e en tire
a d m in istra tiv e m a ch in er y w o rk in g lik e its p iv o t. In sp ite o f a ll su ch
p o w ers, Ha rsh a ’s m o n a rch y w a s fa r fro m b ein g a u to cra tic.
It m a in ta in ed m o d era tio n a n d rested o n p o p u la r su p p o r t. O n e n eed n o t
fo r g et th a t Ha rsh a ca m e to th e th ro n es o f Th a n esw a ra a n d K a n a u j in
resp o n se to th e co llectiv e d ecisio n s o f th e Co u n cils o f M in isters a n d o f th e
n o ta b les o f th e tw o k in g d o m s. To th e tra d itio n a l a d m in istra tiv e
stru ctu re, Ha rsh a a d d ed a p erso n a l fa cto r o f g rea t im p o r ta n ce. It w a s h is
co n tin u o u s p erso n a l in sp ectio n to u rs to su p er v ise th e g o v ern m en ta l
w o rk s b o th in u rb a n a n d ru ra l a rea s. By h is ro y a l m a rch th ro u g h th e
co u n tr y h e a cq u ired a first-h a n d k n o w led g e o f th e co n d itio n s o f th e
p eo p le.
He u n d ersto o d th eir d ifficu lties, a n d p rescrib ed rem ed ies. Ha rsh a v isited
m a n y p la ces o f h is em p ire fo r p u rp o se o f efficien t a d m in istra tio n . Fro m
th e ex trem e lim its o f th e em p ire in th e n o r th to fa r-a w a y K o n g o d a o r
G a n ja m in th e so u th -ea st, h e tra v elled lik e a to u rin g m o n a rch . A cco rd in g
to Hiu en Tsa n g : “ If th ere w a s a n y irreg u la rity in th e m a n n ers o f th e
p eo p le o f th e cities h e (Ha rsh a ) w en t a m o n g st th em . By p erso n a l
a d m o n itio n h e w o u ld th u s set th e m a tters th ro u g h o u t h is d o m in a tio n s,
n o t resid in g lo n g a t a n y p la ce, b u t h a v in g tem p o ra r y b u ild in g s erected
fo r h is resid en ce a t ea ch p la ce o f so jo u rn , a n d h e d id n o t g o a b ro a d
d u rin g th e th ree m o n th s o f th e ra in -sea so n retrea t” .
Th u s, ex cep t fo r th e ra in y sea so n , th e em p ero r w a s m o st o f th e tim e in
h is o fficia l to u rs o f in sp ectio n . W h en su ch to u rs w ere n o t n ecessa r y,
Ha rsh a k ep t h im self b u sy in h is ca p ita l a tten d in g to g o v ern m en t w o rk .
A cco rd in g to th e Ch in ese p ilg rim , Ha rsh a w a s tireless a n d th e d a y w a s
to o sh o r t fo r h im . “ He fo r g o t sleep a n d fo o d in h is d ev o tio n to d u ty ” .
Ha rsh a rem a in ed so d ev o ted to h is w o rk s th a t it b eca m e d ifficu lt ev en
fo r k in g s to g et a n in ter v iew w ith h im . He d iv id ed h is d a y in to th ree
p a r ts, o n e o f w h ich w a s k ep t ex clu siv ely fo r sta te a ffa irs.
Ha rsh a co n d u cted h is o fficia l to u rs in a g ra n d sty le. Hu n d red s o f
d ru m m ers m a rch ed w ith th e k in g to a n n o u n ce th e p resen ce o f th e k in g
b y b ea tin g th eir g o ld en d ru m s. Th e p eo p le w ere th u s a ler ted to m eet
th eir ru ler a t th e p la ce o f h a ltin g a rid p resen t th eir g riev a n ces b efo re
h im . Th is m o d e o f a ttra ctin g th e p eo p le w a s ca lled th e ‘ M u sic-p a ce
d ru m s’ . N o su b o rd in a te k in g o f th e em p ire w a s p erm itted to en jo y th is
ex clu siv e p riv ileg e o f th e Lo rd Pa ra m o u n t.
Ha rsh a b eliev ed in th e self-g o v ern m en t o f th e co u n tless v illa g e-
co m m u n ities. Th e cen tra l g o v ern m en t d id n o t co n cen tra te a ll p o w ers in
its h a n d s, b u t g a v e m u ch a u to n o m y to reg io n a l b o d ies fo r co n d u ctin g
th e a ffa irs o f th e sta te.

2 . Th e Co u n cil o f M in isters:
Du rin g th e tim e o f Ha rsh a h is Co u n cil o f M in isters w o rk ed in a n effectiv e
m a n n er. It to o k v ita l d ecisio n s in tim es o f crisis. Th ere w a s a Ch ief
M in ister to h ea d th e Co u n cil o f M in isters. Bh a n d i, th e Ch ief M in ister o r
Ra jy a Va rd h a n a , p la y ed a n o ta b le ro le in b rin g in g Ha rsh a to th e v a ca n t
th ro n e w h en h is b ro th er d ied . He p ro p o sed b efo re h is Co u n cil to req u est
a relu cta n t Ha rsh a to a ssu m e th e ro y a l a u th o rity w h ile g iv in g ea ch
m em b er th e freed o m o f o p in io n o n h is p ro p o sa l.
W h en a ll m em b ers o f th e Co u n cil a g reed w ith th e Ch ief M in ister, th e
y o u n g p rin ce w a s p rev a iled u p o n to b eco m e th e k in g . Th is ep iso d e
p ro v es th a t th e m in isters o f th e sta te w ere resp o n sib le fo r ta k in g g ra v e
d ecisio n s in th e in terests o f th e sta te.
Th e Co u n cil o f M in isters a lso w a s a d ecisio n -m a k in g b o d y o n fo reig n
a ffa irs a n d w a r. Fo r ex a m p le, w h en Ra jy a Va rd h a n a w en t o u t to fig h t
h is en em ies a n d u ltim a tely a ccep ted th eir in v ita tio n a fter v icto r y, h e w a s
d o in g so o n th e a d v ice o f h is Co u n cil o f M in isters. It w a s a w ro n g a d v ice
w h ich resu lted in th e m u rd er o f th e y o u n g k in g .
Besid es th e Ch ief M in ister, o th er m in isters a lso sh o u ld ered im p o r ta n t
resp o n sib ilities. It is k n o w n fro m Ba n a th a t a m in ister n a m ed A v a n ti w a s
th e M in ister fo r Fo reig n Rela tio n s a n d W a r u n d er Ha rsh a . A s th e k in g
a lo n e co u ld n o t h a v e ca rried th e b u rd en s o f a n im p eria l g o v ern m en t, th e
m in isters d isch a r g ed th eir p a r t o f d u ty in h elp in g th e k in g .

3 . Th e Bu rea u cra cy :
Ha rsh a m a in ta in ed a n efficien t civ il ser v ice. Th e im p o r ta n ce o f so m e o f
th e h ig h er o fficers o f th e sta te is k n o w n fro m th eir d esig n a tio n s. Th e
ch ief o fficers w h o d irectly receiv ed in stru ctio n s a n d o rd ers fro m th e k in g
w ere M a h a sa m a n ta , M a h a ra ja , Pra m a ta ra o r Sp iritu a l A d v iser,
Ra ja sth a n iy a , K u m a ra m a ty a , U p a rik a , a n d V ish a y a p a ti, etc. Besid es
th ese, th ere w ere th e Co m m a n d er-in -Ch ief, th e ch ief o f th e Ca v a lr y
Fo rces, a n d th e Ch ief Co m m a n d a n t o f th e Elep h a n t Fo rce.
A cco rd in g to Hiu en Tsa n g , th e m in isters o f th e k in g a n d th e o fficers w ere
p a id th eir sa la ries n o t in ca sh b u t in g ra n ts o f la n d . Ev en cities w ere
a ssig n ed to th em . O n e-fo u r th o f th e cro w n la n d s w a s k ep t a p a r t “ fo r th e
en d o w m en t o f g rea t p u b lic ser v a n ts” , a n o th er fo u r th p a r t “ fo r th e
ex p en ses o f g o v ern m en t a n d sta te-w o rsh ip ” .

4 . Rev en u e Sy stem :
M u ch lig h t is th ro w n b y th e Ch in ese p ilg rim o n th e rev en u e sy stem o f
Ha rsh a . In g en era l, th e ta x a tio n p o licy w a s lib era l. Th e p eo p le w ere n o t
su b jected to o p p ressiv e eco n o m ic m ea su res. A s Hiu en Tsa n g sa y s:
“ O fficia l req u irem en ts a re few … fa m ilies a re n o t reg istered a n d
in d iv id u a ls w ere n o t su b ject to fo rced la b o u r co n trib u tio n s. Ta x a tio n
b ein g v er y lig h t a n d fo rced ser v ice b ein g sp a rin g ly u sed , ev er y o n e k eep s
to h is h ered ita r y o ccu p a tio n a n d a tten d s to h is p a trim o n y ” .
In Ha rsh a ’s Em p ire, th e k in g ’s sh a re w a s o n e-six th o f th e a g ricu ltu ra l
p ro d u ce. It is k n o w n fro m th e M a d h u v a n a Co p p er Pla te th a t th e k in g ’s
d u es fro m a v illa g e w ere o f tw o k in d s. O n e w a s th e Tu ly a -m ey a o r th e
ta x es d ep en d in g o n th e w eig h t a n d m ea su res o f th e th in g s so ld . Th e
o th er w a s th e Bh a g a b lio g a k a ra -h ira n y a d i o r th e sh a re o f th e p ro d u ce,
ta x es, a n d p a y m en ts in ca sh fro m o th er so u rces o f in co m e. Rev en u es
w ere a lso ea rn ed fro m tra d e a n d co m m erce. Bu t d u ties o n g o o d s w ere
lig h t.
Th e rev en u e o f th e sta te, a cco rd in g to Hiu en Tsa n g , w a s sp en t fo r fo u r
m a in p u rp o ses a s p u b lic ex p en d itu re. Th ey w ere, o n e p a r t fo r th e
ex p en ses o f th e G o v ern m en t, a n d sta te-w o rsh ip ; o n e p a r t a s th e
en d o w m en t o f g rea t p u b lic ser v a n ts; o n e p a r t a s rew a rd to p erso n s o f
h ig h in tellectu a l em in en ce; a n d o n e p a r t fo r g ifts to v a rio u s relig io u s
sects. Th e g o v ern m en ts m a in ta in ed reco rd s o f g o o d tim es a n d b a d tim es
lik e th e tim es o f n a tu ra l o r p u b lic ca la m ities. Th e so ld iers a n d sm a ller
o fficers o f th e sta te w ere p a id th eir sa la r y in ca sh .

5 . A d m in istra tiv e Div isio n s o f th e Em p ire:

Ha rsh a ’s Em p ire w a s d iv id ed in to sev era l p ro v in ces. Th e n u m b er o f su ch
p ro v in ces is n o t k n o w n . Ea ch p ro v in ce w a s d iv id ed in to Bh u k tis. A n d
ea ch Bh u k ti w a s d iv id ed in to sev era l V ish a y a s. Th ey w ere lik e th e
d istricts. Ea ch v ish a y a w a s fu r th er d iv id ed in to Pa th a k a s. Ea ch su ch a rea
w a s d iv id ed in to sev era l v illa g es.
Th e v illa g es w ere lo o k ed a fter b y th eir h ea d m en . Th e g o v ern m en t d id
n o t in ter fere w ith th e freed o m o f th e v illa g es in th eir u su a l w a y s o f
ex isten ce. Th e b ig g er territo ria l d iv isio n s o f th e em p ire w ere n o d o u b t,
co n tro lled b y th e cen tre. Bu t a sy stem o f d ecen tra lisa tio n a lso w o rk ed
fo r b etter m a n a g em en t o f v a rio u s u n its. Ha rsh a ’s p erso n a l in sp ectio n s
k ep t th e territo ria l u n its in o rd er, a n d th ere w a s co -o rd in a tio n b etw een
th e cen tra l a n d p ro v in cia l a d m in istra tio n s.

6 . Pen a l Sy stem :
Th e p en a l sy stem u n d er Ha rsh a w a s a cu rio u s m ix tu re o f b o th th e
M a u r y a sev erity a n d th e G u p ta len ien cy. It m a y b e n o ted th a t Ha rsh a
co n so lid a ted h is p o w er b y p u ttin g d o w n a n a rch ica l co n d itio n s u n d er
p etty ru lers. He h a d to w in th e p eo p le’s co n fid en ce b y a fo rcefu l p en a l
sy stem . Th e Pen a l Co d e, th erefo re, w a s m a d e sev ere, th o u g h a p p lied
w ith m o d era tio n .
Trea so n a g a in st th e sta te a n d th e k in g w a s co n sid ered a g rea t crim e a n d
tra ito rs w ere p u n ish ed b y life-lo n g im p riso n m en t. Fo r crim es a g a in st th e
so ciety, fo r im m o ra lity, a n d fo r a n ti-so cia l co n d u ct, th e o ffen d ers su ffered
m u tila tio n o f lim b s, o r d ep o r ta tio n to a n o u tsid e co u n tr y, o r in to w ild
fo rests.
Hiu en Tsa n g in fo rm s th a t th e crim in a ls a n d reb els w ere v er y few in
n u m b er. Bu t, th e crim e w a s th ere n ev er th eless. Fo r ex a m p le, Hiu en
Tsa n g h im self su ffered in h a n d s o f th e ro b b ers a t so m e d ista n ce fro m th e
ca p ita l itself. He fa ced th e sa m e m isfo r tu n e m o re th a n o n ce. W h ile in th e
d a y s o f th e G u p ta s, th e Ch in ese tra v eller Fa -Hien m o v ed freely a n d
su ffered n o a tta ck , in th e d a y s o f Ha rsh a , Hiu en Tsa n g d id n o t fin d
tra v ellin g sa fe.
It sh o w s th a t g rea ter crim es m ig h t h a v e b een less o r ra re, b u t sm a ller
crim es w ere th ere. Fo r su ch o ffen ses, sm a ll fin es w ere im p o sed , a n d th e
crim in a ls w ere left to liv e th eir life a s co n d em n ed p erso n s. U n lik e th e
M a u r y a p en a l sy stem , fo rce o r to r tu res w ere n o t u sed in th e tim e o f
Ha rsh a to o b ta in co n fessio n o f th eir crim es fro m th e crim in a ls.
O n th e w h o le, Ha rsh a ’s a d m in istra tio n crea ted fea r in th e m in d o f m en
b y a th o ro u g h p en a l co d e; th o u g h in p ra ctice, th e p u n ish m en ts w ere n o t
tu rn ed in to a cru el sy stem . W ith th ese fea tu res, Ha rsh a ’s g o v ern m en t
m a n a g ed a la r g e em p ire b y g en ero sity a n d efficien cy, u n d er th e d irect
su p er v isio n o f a d u tifu l em p ero r.