There were powerful Rajas
(kings) in South Bihar and Orissa, as well as in Malwa and the Punjab who were
fighting to extend their authority to build up true imperial States. The Raja of Madhyadesa, carried on the affairs
of his realm with the assistance of the Sabha (court), usually consisting of
the princes of the blood and military chiefs.
For the efficient discharge of his duties he had to learn the Vedas and
the Sastras (science subjects).
The most important feature of the administrative development of the period under review was the rise of a class of high officials styled Mahamantras, who are unknown to the Vedic texts and gradually tend to disappear after the Maurya and Satavahana periods.
The word Kikata occurs once
only in the Rg-Veda.III 53.14, and as the word Kikata in later literature meant
Magadha or a part of it from Chunar to Rajgir (Visva-Kosa, from Sakti Sangama
Tantra).
They were charged with duties
of a varied character. Some looked after
Sarvarthakas (general affairs). Other
administered Vyavaaharikas (justice). A
third body had charge of Sena-Nayaka (the army). Others were entrusted with the
work of Rajju-Grahaka (cadastral survey) or Drona-Mapaka i.e., measurement of
the king’s shares of the produce. Besides
the Raja, there were other functionaries styled Uparaja (Vice-counsul), Senapati
(General), Bhandagarika (Treasurer) etc.
About the equipment of
Indian troops in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. we have fortunately a few
details recorded by Greek observers. The
Indian infantry, clad in cotton garments, usually carried long bows and iron-tipped
arrows made of cane. Some were armed
with spears. They also carried a
two-handed sword and a buckler of undressed ox-hide. The Chariots, Cavalry and infantry are the
main divisions of their army which were generally called in Sanskrit
Ratha-Gaja-Turaga-Padati. The renowned
Indian epics he Ramayana and the MahaBharata mentioned the division of the army
in Akshauhinis and Vahinis etc.,mention different kinds of battle-array called
Vyuhas and allude to various projectiles including the Satagni or
hundred-killer. The great poet and
play-write Bhasa of 4th B.C also mentioned about the same Akshauhini
in his one-act play DutaVakya, as which is a large division of the army
consisting of 21,870 chariots, as many elephants, 65,610 horses and 1,09,350
foot-soldiers.
Jaina writers refer to
the use made by AjataSatru of the MahaSilaKantaga the engine of war of the
nature of a catapult which threw big stones and Rathamusala a chariot to which
a mace was attached and which, running about, effected great execution.
No comments:
Post a Comment