MAURYAS’ POLITY

Who were
Mauryas?
Deal of controversy among –
historians – origin of – Mauryas
Spooner says – Mauryans were
Persians – unanimously disagreed
Mudrarakshasa- Chandragupta – son
of Nanda king – describes as Virikhals
Kathasaritsagar and Who were
Brihatkathamanjari – Chandragupta –
Mauryas?

the founder of – Mauryan empire as

belonging to Gupta dynasty
According to Parishtiparvan –
Chandragupta belonged to – rears of
royal peacock community
Jain text – Punyashrava Katha Kosh
mentions – Chandragupta as Kshatriya
Entire Buddhist literature describes Who were
Mauryas?
– Mauryas as Kshatriya
Arthashastra – Chanakya crowned
Chandragupta after destroying –
Nanda dynasty
Being a Brahmin – follower of
Varnashram system – would not
consent to make a Shudra king in
place of Nanda
 Mauryan Administration
Indeed first attempt in India – secure administrative
centralization – an extended scale
Within – framework – it united – numbers of people
an tribes
Enlightened Despotism – nature of – Mauryan
Government
System of administration – well organised benign
(kind) autocracy
Completely centralized and Central
Government
bureaucratic
Managed by numerous officers –
different ranks
Kept touch with all phases
Centralized monarchy became –
paternal despotism under – able
guidance of emperor Ashoka
 The King
 King – central figure and fountain head

 Did not claim – divine origin

 Duties – many folded – head of – Justice, Law

and Army

 Himself selected – ministers - appointed high

officials

 King – guided by noblest ideals of beneficence

– considered – servant of - people

 CoM
King – assisted by C o M –
Mantriprashad
Mntriprashad – not only assisted – king
– supervised – works of – Amatyas
Number – varied – the needs
Each ministers got 40,000 panas –
annum - salary
Purohit (High Priest) – advised king – CoM
matters of Dharma and justice
Senapati (Commander-in-Chief) –
skilled in every kind of warfare
Yuvaraj – heir apparent – stay – capital
– gain administrative experience
Arthashastra – provide – list of –
qualities – minister – possess
 The
Highly organised secretariat –
Secretariat
conduct – state business
The Amatyas of the Arthashastra
– equal with Secretaries
Department – control of
Adhyaksha or Superintendent
Kautilya mentions – duties of 32
Adhyaksha
Some were –Akara (mines) – The
Lauhadhyaksha (iron), Secretariat
Lachanadhyaksha (officer of – mint),
Swarnadhyaksha (Gold),
Panyadhyaksha (Trade and
Commerce), Kupyadhyaksha (Forest),
Mandhyaksha (Decider of time and
place), Mudradhyaksha (Passports),
Sitadhyaksha (Agrl.), Suradhyaksha
(Excise), etc.,
 Well organised Civil Service
Civil
Service
 Grade of officers called by Amatyas –
resembling – modern I A S
 Kautilya mentions – two very high
officials
 Sannidhata – Incharge of treasury – receive all dues –
keep accounts of cash and kind
 Samharta – Collector General of – revenues –
collection of revenues – device new methods to
enhance the revenue sources of – State
 Civil
Other important officials Service
Duavarika – Gate-keeper – regulated
admission to – royal palace
Dandapala – chief of Police

Antarvamsika – incharge of – harem –

attended on the person of – king
Paura – perfect of capital city
 Civil
Service
Karmantika – Superintendent of
manufacturing
Durgapala – Governor of Fort
Vyavaharika – Chief Judge

Antapala – Governor of Frontier

 Administration
 King fountain head of justice of Justice

 Special tribunals of justice both in cities

and – country – presided – by Mahamatras
and RajukasDharmadhikarin
 Two type of court..
 Dharmasthiya – Civil court – Judges known as -
Vyavaharika
 Kantaka Shodhan – Criminal court – Judges known as
Pradestha

 Chief Justice known as - Dharmadhikarin

 Administration
In civil cases – Hindu Law as embodied of Justice

in the Shastras was administered

According to Greek sources – criminal
code of the Mauryas – rather severe
and – sternly (strictly) administered
Principal laid down was – that those
guilts believed to be true shall be
subjected to torture
 Administration
Such – harsh criminal code – good of Justice

effect of maintaining peace and order

Crimes – few and thefts – very
uncommon
Even people left their doors unlocked
Security of life and property –
guaranteed by the state
Greatest king – son of Bindusara and
Asoka
Grandson of Chandragupta Maurya
No authentic source – name of his mother

According to Divyavadana and Ashoka-

vadana – Subhandrangi – mother of Ahoka
Duirng – viceroyalty of Ujjaini – fell – love
with – daughter of – merchant of Vidisha –
Mahadevi, whom he maried
 Asoka
The name of – two more queens are
Asandhimitra and Karuwaki
Karuwaki – mentioned – queen’s
edict – who is described as – mother
of prince Tivara – only son of Ashoka
– mentioned by name in Inscription
Coronation – celebrated in 269 B.C
 Asoka as a
 Convert to – Buddhism in – 9th year of his
Buddhist
regional rule
 Converted by a boy monk Nigrodha
(Mahavamsa)
 Later – came to contact with Moggaliputta
Tissa – presided over – 3rd Buddhist
Council – convened by Ashoka
 Buddhism – first time went outside India
during his reign
 Sent his son Mahendra and daughter Asoka as a
Sanghamita to Sri Lanka – propagation of Buddhist
Buddhism
 Queen’s edict mention – sacred donation
made to – Buddhist Sangha by his wife
Karuwaki
 After Kalinga war – went on pilgrimages
to various Buddhist sacred spots and
built – number of Stupas and Monastries
 Asoka’s
 Kalinga war brought – great change
Dhamma
 Now – greatest ideal and objective before
Ashoka – propagation of Dhamma
 Dhamma – free from – narrow feelings of
sectarianism
 Dhamma – not contain any particular
religion – comprises the good qualities of all
– religions of – world
 His Dhamma contained – essence of all
religion
 Characteristic
Emphasis on Ethical Ideas of - Dhamma
Preached – people to be pure in
character and follow the ethical
ideas
Rock Edict VII illustrates ..
 “Hearkening to superiors, hearkening to
father and mother, hearkening to teachers or
elders and proper treatment of friends,
acquaintances, comrades, relatives, slaves
and servants, with steadfastness of devotion”
 Characteristic
Ideals of Ashoka – summed up as.. of - Dhamma
 Mastery of senses
 Purity of thoughts
 Gratitude
 Steadfastness to devotion
 Kindness
 Purity
 Truthfulness
 Service Support Reverence
 Respect to elders
 Love to youngsters
 Characteristic
 Non-Violence
of - Dhamma
 Inscriptions of Ashoka mention – King – prohibited –
animal sacrifices

 Religious Toleration
 12th Rock Edict – pronounced his policy of religious
toleration
 “Beloved of the Gods, king Piyaddssi – honours all sects

 Universalism
 Second Kalinga Rock Edict – “All men are my children
and just as I desire for my children and that they enjoy
every kind of prosperity and happiness..”
Government under – Asoka – Administrative
Reforms of Asoka
Monarchial type
Opinion that – king was the
servant of his subjects
 “There is no higher duty than the
welfare of the whole world and what
little effort I make is in order that I may
render them happiness here and they
may gain heaven in the next world”
 Dharam
 Office of Dharam Mahamatras – created
Mahamatras
by Ashoka – 13 years after – coronation
 Mahamatra – indicated – high rank in the
hierarchy of officials
 Seventh Pillar edict throws light – duties…
 To establish and promote al sects in the land
 Promote the happiness of people devoted to Dhamma
 Work for the welfare of the human beings
 Reviewed all sentences awarded by courts
 To look after the activities of the Buddhist Sangha and
other sects