Mauryan Administration

By – Chauhan Sir
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Vishal Chauhan

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<Chauhan_Sir_History>
Central Administration
• The King
• The King was the supreme authority of the
state.
• All policy matters and crucial decisions
regarding administration were taken by the
King.
• King's law prevailed when there was
inconsistency between it and the traditional
law (Shastra).
• The Arthashastra gives primacy to King among
the seven components of the state.
• The seven components are Swami (King),
Amatya (minister), Janapada (territory), Durga
(fort), Kosa (treasury), Danda (army) and Mitra
(friends)
• The Mantriparishad (Council of Ministers)
• The Arthashashtra as well as the Ashokan
inscriptions refer to a Mantriparishad (Council
of Ministers) which was headed by
Mantriparishad Adhyakshya.
• The Council included the Yuvaraj(the crown
prince), the Purohita (the chief priest), the
Senapati (the commander-in-chief) and a few
other ministers.
• The primary role of the Council was that of an
advisory body as the final authority vested
with the King.
• The Mantriparishad Adhyakshya was also head
of the civil servants called Adhyakshas or
Amatyas who used to keep in touch with all
sections of the society.
• A highly skilled secretariat was divided into
several departments.
• There are references of about eighteen
departments (Tirthas) of the central
government in the Arthashshtra.
• It also provides for 27 superintendents
concerned mostly for economic functions.
• Some of them also performed military duties.
• Important Officials
• Sannidhata (Royal Treaury)
• Koshthagara (Treasury Superintendent)
• Akahalapadhyksha (Accountant General)
• Panyaadhksha (Commerce Superintendent)
• Akaraadhyaksha (Mines Superintendent)
• Suvarnaadhyaksha (Gold Superintendent)
• Kupyadhyaksha (Forest Officer)
• Ayudhgaraadhyaksha (Armoury)
• Pautavadhyaksha (Weights and
Measurements)
• Sutraadhyaksha (Textiles - spinning and
weaving)
• Sitaadhyaksha (Agriculture)
• Suraadhyaksha (Excise)
• Navadhyaksha (Shipping and maritime)
• Mudradhyaksha (Government documents)
• Pattanadhyaksha (Ports)
• Lakshanaadhyaksha (Minting of coins)
• Samstha (Trade Routes)
• Lavanadhyaksha (Salt)
• The Army
• According to Megasthenes, the branches of
the army consisted of infantry, cavalry,
elephants, chariots, transport, and admiral of
the fleet.
• Each branch was looked after by a committee
of 5 members.
• The overall in charge of the Mauryan army was
Commander in-Chief
• The Mauryan army included 6 Lakh infantry,
30000 cavalry, 9000 war elephants, 1000
chariots and other things such as transport
equipments.
• There was a definite recruitment policy, war
plans, fortifications, etc.
• The officers and soldiers were paid in cash.
• There was a separate department to look after
the production and maintenance of a variety of
armaments whose chief was known as
Ayudhagaradhyaksha.
• Rathadhyaksha used to look after the
construction of chariots.
• Hastyadhyaksha looked after the elephant
force.
• The state spent a large amount of revenue in
maintaining its army, which in the long run
might have adversely affected its treasury.
• Espionage
• The Mauryas had a well knit system of
espionage system of Gudhapurushas (spies).
• These spies kept the king informed about the
secrets of foreign rulers, all important officials
as well as on the general public.
• The spies were of two kind viz. Sansthana
(stationary) and Sanchari (wandering).
• Pativedikas were the officers whose duty was
to report directly to the King about the affairs
of the people.
• Justice under Mauryas
• An orderly legal system was established under
the Mauryas.
• The Arthashashtra is full of codes listing
punishments for various offences such as
violation of the marriage laws, divorce,
murder, adulteration, wrong weights, etc.
• The science of law enforcement is also called
Danda niti.
• The sources of law, as mentioned by Kautilya,
were:
• Dharma
• Vyahara (current legal codes)
• Charitra (customs) and
• Rajasasana (the royal decree)
• There were various kinds of courts to try the
offenders of law or settle disputes.
• Arthashshtra mentions two types of courts:
• Dharmasthiya: The courts, which decided
personal disputes.
• It could settle issues related to disputes over
Stridhana (wife's wealth) or marriages etc.
• Kantakosodhan: The courts, which decided
upon matters related to individuals and the
state.
• It could deal with cases related to wages of
workers, conduct of workers, murder, etc.
• Revenue Administration
• State revenues during the Mauryan period
were derived from various sources such as
cities, rural areas, mines, plantation, pastures,
roads and traffic.
• The state treasury was looked after by an
official called Sannidhata.
• There was an advanced concept of activity
planning, preparation of the budget and
reporting on the revenue and expenditure
• There were two kinds of tax- Bali and Bhaga.
• The Bali was a religious tribute while Bhaga
was the 1/6th part of the produce, also known
as Rajbhaga (state part).
• The cities collected revenues in the form of
fines, sales tax (Sulka), excise duty on the sale
of liquor, a kind of income tax from the rich,
etc.
• The revenues from the rural areas were
appropriated in the form of income from
Crown lands (Sita), land revenue (Bhaga) from
cultivators, taxes on orchards, ferry charges,
etc.
• Municipal Administration
• The city administration during this period was
elaborate and well planned.
• According to Megasthenes, the affairs of the
city were looked after by a Council which was
divided into 6 committees and each committee
had five members.
• Six Committees in Cities
• Trade and Commerce
• Inspection of manufactured goods
• Collection of taxes
• Industry and crafts
• Entertainment of foreigners
• Registration of births and deaths
• However in Arthashastra, there is no mention
of such committees.
• According to it the functions of trade and
commerce were performed by the
Panyadhyaksha, collection of tax was
responsibility of Sulk Adhyaksha and
registration of births and deaths was work of
Gopa.
• The head of the urban administration was
called Nagariaka, assisted by two subordinate
officials - "Gopa' and 'Sthanika'.
• Some other important officials and their
functions were:
• Bandhanagaradhyaksha: looked after the jail.
• Rakshi: the police, looked after the security of
the people.
• Lohadhyaksha, Sauvarnika, etc.: looked after
work in the centres where goods were
manufactured.
• Seven Ways to deal with Neighbouring
Countries
• Sama-Appeasement, non-aggression pact.
• Dana - Gift, bribery
• Bheda-Divide, split, separating opposition
• Danda - Strength, punishment
• Maya- Illusion, deceit
• Upeksha - Ignoring the enemy
• Indrajala - Faking military strength
• Provincial Administration
• According to the Ashokan edicts, the Empire
was divided into four provinces with the
imperial capital at Pataliputra.
• The names of the four provincial capitals are
Tosali (in the east), Ujjain (in the west),
Suvarnagiri (in the south), and Taxila (in the
north).
• The head of the provincial administration was
the Kumara (royal prince), who governed the
provinces as the king's representative.
• The kumara was assisted by Mahamatyas and
Council of Ministers.
• The Council of Ministers at the provincial level
not only acted as a check on the Kumara but at
times had direct relations with the King
• There were some smaller provinces as
Saurashtra and Kamboj etc., administered by
other officers called Rashtriyas.
• The senior officials were the Mahamatyas who
looked over the border areas, judicial work,
etc.
• Another category of high officials was that of
Amatyas.
• Dhamma Mahamatyas looked after religion.
• District Administration
• The administrative units of District consisted of
a number of villages.
• The officials at the level of the district were
"Pradeshta', 'Rajuka' and ‘Yukta’.
• The Yukta was a junior officer giving secretariat
kind of assistance to the other two
• Their functions included the survey and
assessment of land, tours and inspections,
revenue collection, and maintaining law and
order, etc.
• Village Administration
• The officials known as Gramika' at this level
were local people appointed and assisted by
the villagers
• There are also references to two types of
officials such as Yoga and Sthanika, acting by
the villagers as intermediaries between the
district and village level administration.
• 'Gramika' in open Panchayats solved most
disputes.
 Chauhan_Sir_History

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