Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh (early history)
by Prakash Narayan | 2011 | 63,517 words
This study deals with the history of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh (Northern India) taking into account the history and philosophy of Buddhism. Since the sixth century B.C. many developments took place in these regions, in terms of society, economic life, religion and arts and crafts....
The king’s services
There are various kinds of warriors who are employed in the king’s service. These warriors servants are known symbolically through the art of bowmanship (issithena) and under the term yodhajiva which literally means those who live by fighting battles.[1] Elsewhere they are referred to in greater detail by the king Ajatasattu who described their occupation as sippa.[2] They are the elephant riders (hattaroha), the cavaliers (assaroha), the charioteers (ratthika as distinct from rathakara), archers (dhanugaha) standard bearers (celaka), billeting officers (calaka), supply corps (pindakavika), fierce warriors (pukkhandino), warriors brave as nagas (mahanaga), the heroes (sura), warriors in buckshin (cammayodhino), and body disposers (karanika). It also consisted of the chief of the army (senapati)[3] and the four fold army (caturanga sena).[4]
In contrast to the above there was perhaps an equal degree of specialization in the king’s civil administration. Those who were in the king’s service were known as rajaporisa. This consisted among others the king or the consecrated khattiya (khattiya muddhavasatha), the different ministers (mahamacca), the territorial governors (ratthika) the estate holder managers (pettanika), the royal chamberlain (thapati), elephant trainer-rider (hattiroha), cavaliers (assaroha) the horse trainers (ass adamaka, assadamaka sarathi), the jailor (bandhan agarika), the village head man (gama gamani, gamani), the village overseer (s amika), spies (cara) and the messengers (duta) batmen (Khatta), park-keepers (aramika), the store keeper of used for the purpose of maintaining fortifications (darugaha ganaka), the slaves and their families (dasa, dasakaputta), personal messengers (pessa), and workers (kammakara). Over and above these, there were often a number of service occupations such as the barber, the tailor, the cook and so on, who were in the king’s employment.
The significance of the king in the economic sphere evidently lies in the fact that he is the largest single employer of the persons doing the greatest variety of jobs. He may have derived from this fact much of his political power and social prestige. A third important fact is that the king himself and many of his servants fulfilled the managerial and proprietary functions only in the processes of production. They may have provided some capital, but hardly contributed to non-managerial labour.
Among the king’s servants, the ministers (mahamacca) possess the highest degree of power. Therefore, it is natural that there is some division of labour among the ministerial group. In support of this we find that in the text the minister of justice (voharamahamacca),[5] the treasurer (ganaka mahamatta) and the minister of all affairs (Sabbhatthakam mahamatta)[6] are mentioned. They possess delegated authority and power, which are as strong as those of the king.
The next significant group are kammikas, gamikas and rajabhatas because they interfere directly by influencing the economic activities. Kammikas act as customs officers. Thus a caravan from Rajagaha going south intends to evade the tax. Kammikas come to know of this plan and they infest the way, seize the caravan and confiscate it.[7] The tax collecting centres of the king have been referred to as situated in a mountain pass or at a ford in a river, or at the gate of a gama.[8] The functions of a gamika, the overseer of a village, is not specified but these seem to be important ones. He receives personal instructions from the king and seems to have been chosen from leading families. King Bimbisara had 8,400 gamas and gamikas of equal number of whom he gives instructions.[9] Amongst those who receive instructions is sona, a son of a setthi.[10]
The roads between the big cities were frequented by highwaymen (cora). Even the monks who by their professions, follow a money-less creed, are deprived of their goods and sometimes their lives.[11] The road between saketa and savatthi is mentioned as being infested with highwaymen. Rajabhatas from savatthi catch them, return the stolen Goods to the owners and even lead the robbers to execution.[12] The significance of rajabhatas is recognized by the Buddhist samgha and it makes it an offence if one were to ordain them.[13] Although rajabhatas safeguard the property of the people, they are rough in dealing with them and are described as evil men (dussile papadhamme).[14] The profession of a rajabhata does not seem to be low. We find a brahmana making his living a rajabhata (nibbittha-rajabhato). However, he is angry at the behaviour of a nun who accidentally throws rubbish on his head with the result theat he is prepared to set fire to the nunnery. This brahmana receives wages in cash from the king.[15]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Majjhima Nikaya.II.465 (Nalanda Edition)
[3]:
Anguttara Nikaya.III.76.
[5]:
Ibid., IV.223-24.
[6]:
Ibid., I.240.
[7]:
Ibid., IV.131.
[8]:
Ibid., III.52.
[9]:
Ibid., I.179.
[10]:
Ibid.
[11]:
Ibid., 88; IV.120.
[12]:
Ibid., p. 88.
[13]:
Ibid., p. 93.
[14]:
Samyutta Nikaya.IV.341-42; the bhatas mentioned here are not working for any king but for the ruling extended kin-group known as Kiliyas. The bhatas are distinguished by their long hair (Koliyanam lambaculake bhate).
[15]:
Vinaya, IV.265.