Chandragupta Maurya and His Times

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Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1966 - History - 263 pages
This is a comprehensive work dealing with the life and times of India`s first historical emperor, and a picture of the civilization of India in the early period of the fourth century BC. The author had utilized much material found in Arthasastra. The work also embodies collation and comparison of evidence from different sources, classical works in Sanskrit, Buddhist and jaina texts and the inscriptions of Asoka. The book gives a detailed account of Chandragupta Maurya and the general view of his administration. It has covered almost all aspects of administration including the king, ministers and officers with rules of service and divisions of administrative departments; governance of land system and rural administration along with municipal administration, the source of law and dispensation of justice and the army and its management. Besides social and economic conditions of that times have been elaborately discussed. The detailed contents serves as an index of subjects, the other parts are--Index of technical terms, three appendics which enrich utility of the book and a plate of typical Mauryan Coins.

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Contents

127 Rural Staff 128 Fiscal Classification of Villages 128 Village
127
CHAPTER VIII
133
against Epidemics 138 Killing rats 138 RatCess 138 Control
139
Mining 146 Roads 147 Summary of Agreements
147
Inheritance 154 Sons of different kinds
154
an offence 157 List of Offences 157 Arrest 158 Abetment 158
158
CHAPTER X
165
Greek Accounts of Equipment 170 Kautilyas Account 170
172

Varṇāsramadharma 49 Duties of different Castes 49 and
51
Interviews Upasthana Agnyāgāra 51 Maxims for Royalty
57
Processions at Festivals 62 Courtly Pomp 62 Ceremony of washing
63
according to Kautilya 68 Pațaliputra as described in Buddhist texts
71
Maurya trade in images of gods 76 Hierarchy of Officers from
81
Service 85 Pensions 88 Payment of salary in cash and kind
88
Sannidhätä 97 Government Buildings 97 Treasury 97 Granary
98
Rainfall 103 Means of Irrigation 103 Agricultural Seasons 103
103
Superintendent of SlaughterHouse
110
115 Table of Tolls
117
CHAPTER VII
124
Elephants in military operations 178 ElephantRiders 178 Eastern
178
Caste and Craft 184 Brahmins 184 Śramanas 186 Their
188
194 Slavery 195 Religion
195
Uncultivated Wastes and Forestry 201 Forest Staff
201
Seaborne Trade 207 Panini on Roads 208 Patanjali on Roads
208
210 Corals 210 Fragrant Woods 210 Skins 210 Blankets 211
211
Fortresses as described by Greek writers 221 Towns mentioned
224
Parallelisms between Aśokas Edicts and Kautilyas
236
INDEX OF SANSKRIT WORDS
256
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Page 48 - This union of the village communities, each one forming a separate little state in itself, has, I conceive contributed more than any other cause to the preservation of the peoples of India through all the revolutions and changes which they have suffered, and is in a high degree conducive to their happiness, and to the enjoyment of a great portion of freedom and independence.
Page 48 - The village communities are little republics, having nearly everything that they want within themselves, and almost independent of any foreign relations. They seem to last where nothing else lasts. Dynasty after dynasty tumbles down. Revolution succeeds to revolution. Hindoo, Patan, Mogul, Mahratta, Sikh, English, are all masters in turn, but the village communities remain the same.
Page 29 - The East bow'd low before the blast In patient, deep disdain; She let the legions thunder past, And 'plunged in thought again.
Page 19 - Agrammes was a barber scarcely staving off hunger by his daily earnings, but who, from his being not uncomely in person, had gained the affections of the queen, and was by her influence advanced to too near a place in the confidence of the reigning monarch. Afterwards, however, he treacherously murdered his sovereign and then, under the pretence of acting as guardian to the royal children, usurped the supreme authority, and, having put the young princes to death, begot the present king.
Page 91 - Some superintend the rivers, measure the land, as is done in Egypt, and inspect the sluices by which water is let out from the main canals into their branches, so that every one may have an equal supply of it.
Page 75 - And while the soil bears on its surface all kinds of fruits which are known to cultivation, it has also underground numerous veins of all sorts of metals, for it contains much gold and silver, and copper and iron in no small quantity, and even tin and other metals, which are employed in making articles of use and ornament, as well as the implements and accoutrements of war.
Page 58 - The king leaves his palace not only in time of war, but also for the purpose of judging causes. He then remains in court for the whole day, without allowing the business to be interrupted, even though the hour arrives when he must needs attend to his person, — that is, when he is to be rubbed with cylinders of wood.
Page 47 - ... because the machinery of authority was not perfect enough to carry orders into effect at a great distance from the person of the ruler. He depended mainly upon voluntary fidelity for the obedience even of his army, nor did there exist the means of making the people pay an amount of taxes sufficient for keeping up the force necessary to compel obedience throughout a large territory.

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