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The Indian Analyst
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North Indian Inscriptions |
THE GUPTA SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION Let us now take up for consideration three more administrative terms of the Gupta period. We have to take these three together; because, unless we compare them with one another, it will not be possible to arrive at the correct meaning of each and dispel the confusion which has grown up by the multiplicity of interpretations or misinterpretations proposed by different scholars. The terms in question are supplied by the following seals: (1) Mahā-daṇḍanāyaka-Agniguptasya,1 (2) Dāṇḍapāś-ādhikaraṇasya2 and (3) Yuvarāja-bhaṭṭārakapādīya-balādhi-karaṇasya.3 Now, what does Daṇḍanāyaka or Mahādaṇḍanāyaka mean? Bloch takes it in the sense of ‘judge’, and R. D. Banerji4 in the sense of ‘the principal judge’, though, further on, he renders it by ‘general.’ But Agnigupta was not the only Mahādaṇḍanāyaka of the Gupta age. This term we find mentioned thrice in the Allahābād pillar inscription (No. 1 below). Thus, the officer who got the praśasti executed was Mahādaṇḍanāyaka Tilakabhaṭṭa. Nay, the officer who composed it, we know, was the celebrated Harishēṇa, who is designated not only Sāndhivigrahika and Kumārāmātya but also Mahādaṇḍanāyaka. Further, we have to note that even his father, Dhruvabhūti, is called simply Mahādaṇḍanāyaka, without any further title or designation coupled with his name. If any further instance is required, it is furnished by some South Indian records which describe one Brāhmaṇa as Mahāpradhāna, Sēnādhipati and Daṇḍanāyaka, and speak of his father Kāvaṇa also as Daṇḍanāyaka.5 This shows that, like ‘Duke,’ ‘Earl’ and ‘Viscount’, Mahādaṇḍanāyaka was a hereditary title of nobility. Nay, there is one inscription––a Kannaḍa inscription6 found at Kargudari and dated Śaka 1030, which in lines 40-41 speaks of one Malliyakka as Daṇḍanāyakiti, ‘the female Daṇḍanāyaka.’ This reminds us of the titles Mahāraṭhi-Mahāraṭhinī, Mahābhōja-Mahābhōjī and Mahāsēnāpati-Mahāsēnāpatinī of the West India cave inscriptions,7 and Mahātalavara-Mahātalavarī and Mahāsēnāpati-Mahāsēnāpatinī of the Nāgārjunikoṇḍa inscriptions.8 But Malliyakka of the Kargudari inscription was Daṇḍanāyakiti, not because her husband, but rather her father, Īśvaramayya, was Daṇḍādhinātha or Daṇḍādhipa which seem, at least here, to be synonymous with Daṇḍanāyaka, from whom she apparently inherited it. But how, it may be asked, could Malliyakka be entitled to be called Daṇḍanāyakiti? This is not unlike the English titles Duchess, Countess and so forth, where a woman may be a Duchess, etc., in her own right also. This, too, points to the conclusion that Daṇḍanāyaka was a title of nobility.
When J. F. Fleet translated the passage containing this term which occurs about the
close of the Allahābād pillar inscription, he remarked that “Mahādaṇḍanāyaka, lit. ‘great leader
of the forces,’ is a technical military title”.9 As daṇḍa means ‘fine’ and ‘rod’ (of chastisement)
as well as ‘army’ or ‘forces,’ the titles in which it occurs are capable of being explained as
either judicial or military. This term has thus been rendered ‘judge’ by Bloch, ‘Chief Officer
of Police’ by Sir John Marshall,10 ‘a high, probably judicial, official’ by Vogel11 and ‘a police
officer’ by ourselves.12 The sense known to lexicons is ‘a military commander.’ Thus Abhidhāna- 1 A.R. ASI., 1903-04, p. 109, No. 17. There are many seals of the Gupta period, belonging also to simple
Daṇḍanāyakas (A.R. ASI., 1911-12, p. 55).
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