North Indian Inscriptions

ADMINISTRATION

before themselves. See e.g. the following :- Śaucha-Gāṇgēya[1] (Bhīshma in respect of pure moral conduct), Kaliyuga-Yudhishṭhira[2] (Yudhishṭhira of the Kali Age), Satya-Rādhēya[3] (Karṇa in respect of truthfulness), Para-nārī-sahōdara[4] (a uterine brother of other’s wives).

.. Though the king’s power was absolute in theory, in practice there were several checks. He could not make harsh and oppressive laws. The age-old Smṛitis had laid down civil and criminal laws, which it was his duty to administer. In case of doubt he had to consult the Parishad or Assembly of Vedic Scholars. The existence of such a Parishad in North Koṅkaṇ is indicated by the Chānje inscription, which record a royal gift to it.[5] In ancient times, when religion had a strong hold on the minds of the people, the king could not dare to defy the dictates of the sacred Smṛits. As stated in the aforementioned verse of the Yājñavalkya-smṛiti, if the ruler oppressed the people, there was danger of their rising in revolt and depriving him of his kingdom and even his life.

.. The administration of the State was carried on with the help of Governors (rāshṭrapatis), Collectors (vishaya-patis) and village headmen (grāma-patis). In some later records like the Dive Āgar plate of Mummuṇi,[6] they are called Sāmanta (Governor), Nāyaka (the Commissioner of a division) and Ṭhākura (the Collector of a district). The Governors of provinces were often military officers, who were called Daṇḍādhīpati. When the Śilāhāras conquered south Koṅkaṇ, they constituted the northern part of it into a separate province, with Praṇālaka as its capital. Prince Vikramāditya was appointed by his father Aparāditya I to govern it.[7] He has his own ministers including the Sāndhivigrahika (Ministers for Foreign Affairas). Later, when it ceased to be a separate rājya, a Daṇḍādhipati named Suprayā was appointed to govern it.[8] He had his own Śrī-karaṇa (Secretariat).

.. Some early records mention rāshṭrapati, vishayapati and grāmapati among the persons to whom the royal order regarding land-gifts was communicated, which shows that these officers administered the different divisions and sub-divisions of the kingdom. As stated before, no division of the category of rāshṭra is mentioned in the Śilāhāra inscriptions. The formula containing the mention of the rāshtrapati seems to have been copied verbatim from earlier records. The maṇḍalas took the place of the old rāshṭras. The vishayapatis must have been the heads of districts (vishayas) like the modern Collectors. In one record Vishayī is mentioned in the same context.[9] The Grāmapati was, of course, the headman of the village like the modern Pāṭil. One record mentions Paṭṭakila[10] in the sense of Grāmapati. In the records of the Kolhāpur Śilāhāras Nārgāvuṇḍas[11] are mentioned in place of the vishayapatis of other records. They were heads of districts. A gāvuṇḍa was a village headman.[12] One record mentions more than one gāvuṇḍa.[13] They may have either represented different villages grouped together, or officiated as headman of the village by rotation.

.. The king appointed Counsellors (Mantrins) and Ministers (Mahāmātyas) for the various departments. Their names together with their official designations occur in several records of
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[1] No. 46, line 40.
[2] No. 58, line 18.
[3] No. 46, line 40.
[4] No. 58, line 18.
[5] No. 22, line 9.
[6] No. 16, line 14.
[7] No. 23, line 38.
[8] No. 28, line 8.
[9] No. 12, line 12.
[10] No. 25, line 13.
[11] No. 46, line 48.
[12] No. 54, lines 16-17.
[13] Op. cit.

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