10 th Guru of Sikh Dharma - Guru Govind Singh je Maharaj.

350 th GURU GOVIND SINGH JE MAHARAJ JANAMUTSAV DIVAS - PATNA SAHIB.
Mera Mujh Me Kachu Nahi, Jo Kachu Hai So Tera; Tera Tujh Ko Saup Ke Kaya Lage Hai Mera. – Guru Govind Singh Je Maharaj.

(In me nothing is mine Everything is Yours (God), Putting everything at Your feet I am doing no service.)

Deh Shiva Bar Mohe Eha(ਦੇਹ ਸ਼ਿਵਾ ਬਰ ਮੋਹੇ ਈਹੇ) is a most celebrated and widely quoted hymn by Guru Gobind Singh, taken from Chandi Charitar Ukati Bilas composition of Dasam Granth.

The composition describes the glory of Shakti (power or Hukam). 

ਦੇਹ ਸਿਵਾ ਬਰੁ ਮੋਹਿ ਇਹੈ ਸੁਭ ਕਰਮਨ ਤੇ ਕਬਹੂੰ ਨ ਟਰੋਂ ॥
ਨ ਡਰੋਂ ਅਰਿ ਸੋ ਜਬ ਜਾਇ ਲਰੋਂ ਨਿਸਚੈ ਕਰਿ ਅਪੁਨੀ ਜੀਤ ਕਰੋਂ ॥
ਅਰੁ ਸਿਖ ਹੋਂ ਆਪਨੇ ਹੀ ਮਨ ਕੌ ਇਹ ਲਾਲਚ ਹਉ ਗੁਨ ਤਉ ਉਚਰੋਂ ॥
ਜਬ ਆਵ ਕੀ ਅਉਧ ਨਿਦਾਨ ਬਨੈ ਅਤਿ ਹੀ ਰਨ ਮੈ ਤਬ ਜੂਝ ਮਰੋਂ ॥

देह शिवा बर मोहे ईहे, शुभ कर्मन ते कभुं न टरूं
न डरौं अरि सौं जब जाय लड़ौं, निश्चय कर अपनी जीत करौं,
अरु सिख हों आपने ही मन कौ इह लालच हउ गुन तउ उचरों,
जब आव की अउध निदान बनै अति ही रन मै तब जूझ मरों ॥

O Power of Akaal, give me this boon
May I never ever shirk from doing good deeds
That I shall not fear when I go into combat. And with determination I will be victorious.

That I may teach myself this creed alone, to speak only of Thy (allmighty lord Waheguru) praises.
And when the last days of my life come, I may die in the might of the battlefield.|

Mauryan Administration - Last part.

                                                 Emperor Chandragupta mayura

Mantri (Minister) –

For day to day work of the empire king had appointed ministers. These ministers were different from the ‘council of ministers. They were getting 12,000 pann as salary.  

These ministers were helping the emperor in the day to day work of the empire. All the high level officers were appointed by the king after consulting the ministers. 

These ministers were more powerful than the ‘council of ministers’. The ministers were in close contact with the emperor and were his adviser. 

Prime Minister is the head of these ministers too.

‘Senapati’ (Army General) – 

A very important officer of the team of Emperor. He was responsible for the army, its strength, well being. He advised the king on “Pact of peace, declaration of war,” etc. 

He had to lead the army in war or peace. He had to be expert in war planning, different moves, use of different arms. Chanakaya has given stress on his personal expertise in ‘War education’ and practical knowledge of war. 

‘Sannidhata’ – 

For economic matter this officer was responsible. He was the head of the economic department of the state. New budget, Income – expenditure of the state, taxation; its implementation was the work of ‘Sannidhata’ for this he was responsible to the king.

‘Kosadhaksha’ (Treasurer), ‘Sulkadaksha’, ‘Panayadhaksha’ - controller of the market and its price, were under him.

Samaharta (Commissioner) –

The Janpada (District) was under the control of Amatya known as ‘Samaharta’. The main work of ‘Samaharta’ is to collect ‘Tax’. To help ‘Samaharta’ there were other officers under him in districts as –

‘Sitadhaksha’ –  President of Agriculture department.

‘Sulkadaksha’ – He was the ‘tax’ collector from trade and commerce.

‘Potwadaksha’ - Officer of ‘Measure-wait’ checker and management.

‘Suradhaksha’ – President of the business which is under direct control of the state.

‘Sutradhaksha’ - President of wine department. Its sales – purchase,  use, production etc.

‘Lakshanadhaksha’ – (controller of monetary policy), Devtadhaksha – President of the department which makes control upon temples and its works.

On the basis of ‘Chanakaya’s Arthsastra we find that there were 27 Adaksha (President) to regulate the economic activity, trade, business of the state and in the state. 

Adaksha (President) were regulating and controlling the Agriculture, trade, Business – Commerce, correct wait, Mines, Art and Craft etc.

Other departments were - Ganikadhaksha, Mudradhaksha, Navadhaksha, Godhaksha (cow department), Ashwadhaksha (horse department), Panayadhaksha - controller of the market and its price.

Arthsastra mentions some more officers too. They are -  

‘Karmantik’ (Factory President) – 

He was the head of the factories which were under the state (nation). Mining, sending raw material to the factory, preparation of goods, sale and purchase and laws related with these things were under him. He was responsible for all these works.

‘Prasasta’ (Head of record keeping office) –

The record of all the department of the state (nation) were put in an office which is known as ‘Akshpatal’.

The head of this office is ‘Prasasta’. State or king’s order, Term- condition of treaty or War; detailed statements of ‘Janpada’ (District), work details of state servants (lower grade staffs), details of Income – expenditure of the state were being kept in this office in a planned manner.

‘Antapal’ – 

He was the head of the border area forts. Security of the border area was his duty.

‘Durgpal’ – He was the head of the forts of the inner part of the state.

‘Dauwarik’ – 

He was the head of the king’s palace. He was responsible for all the works related to the management of the palace.

City management (Nagar Prabandhan) – The cities were self governed. There was a committee to maintain the works of the city like army had. There was a committee of 30 members; which was again divided into 6 groups of 5 members each.

These 6 city committees are -

1^st committee was responsible for the industries. Proper preparation of goods, sale and purchase, pricing was his duty.

2^nd committee was for the well being of the foreigners. House on rent, treatment if got ill, was under this committee. If some foreigner dies in the city it was the duty of the committee to complete his last ritual. His belongings were given to the concerned officer. This shows that in India there were more foreigners.

3^rd committee was to register the birth and death of the citizens.

4^th committee was looking after the trade and commerce. This committee was monitoring the sales and purchase of goods, its quality. Wait and Measurement was also under them.

5^th committee was to check the mixing of new and old goods, so that citizens will get proper and latest goods.

6^th committee was to collect sales Tax. Those who try to evade Tax were penalized with ‘death sentence’, so no one dare to evade Tax. Rules were hard but were for everyone.

Megasthenes writes that ‘Palibrotha’ (Patliputra) was on the bank of 2 big rivers – Ganga and Soan and was the biggest city of ancient India. 

This city was 9 and ½ miles (80 stadia) long and 1 and ¼ miles (15 stadia) wide.  There was a trench around the city for its defence it was 600 ft wide and 30 hand deep. 

A high wall was all around the city; due to these measures the city was safe.  There were 570 towers (burj) and 64 gates in the wall for the protection of the city.

Guptchar (Secret service people) - 

The secret service people could have been in any form – as a monk, student, servant, dancer, prostitute, singer, labourer, businessman, Beggar etc. Historian Arian calls them ‘Overseer’ (supervisor), Strabo call them ‘Inspector’. 

In this department there were officers from junior level to senior level. Strabo describes that women and prostitutes were also involved in this work which Arthsastra also mentions. Arthsastra describes 2 types of Guptchar (Secret service people).

 They are –

1.       Sanstha – One who works from a fixed place, settled.

2.       Sanchara – Always on move.

                                                  The End.

Mauryan Administration - Part 2.

Army – 

According to Greek writer-historian Pliny during the first ruler of Mauryan Empire Chandragupta the strength of the army was 600,000 foot soldiers, 30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 elephants, besides chariots. 

The army was under the supervision of a governing board of 30 people which was again divided into 6 boards of 5 members each. Each board was responsible for 1 department, this way there were 6 departments.

These 6 departments are - 1. Infantry,  2.  Cavalry, 3. Chariots,  4. Elephant ,  5. Navy,  6. Transport and Commissariat.

Top Officers of the Empire were known as ‘Tirtha’.

King or Emperor was the head of the administration. He was the Law or head of the law. 

He had direct control over ‘Madhyadesh’ and it is important too because Patliputra, the capital of the empire was in this area and loosing it is the meaning of losing the nation. 

This ‘Madhyadesh’ is densely populated and fertile so getting food and army is easy and is in abundance even today too. In this ‘Madhyadesh’ there are many iron ore mines and dense forests.

In those days these forests were more big and dense, elephants are found here; these elephants were trained and used in wars and were seen as a big winner in wars. Irons are the main metal which is used to make arms and armatures. That’s why Empire took shape in this region.

‘Mahamatra’ (head officer) were appointed in all the major cities of ‘Madhyadesh’ and in the major cities all over the nation. In ‘Patliputra’ and ‘Koshambi’ there were ‘Mahamatra’. 

These ‘Mahamatra’ were directly responsible to king or Emperor and they have to directly report to the Emperor. 

The protection of the king was upon a special group of women warriors from Amazonian origin.

These women were living 24 hours with the emperor like a shadow. These ladies were kings ‘body women’.

Amatya (Minister), Purohit (Family Priest), Senapati (Army General) and Yuvraja Prince) were considered as the ‘Highest level of Officers’. 

They were getting 48 thousand ‘Pann’ (money of Mauryan period). (1 Pann is equal to ¾ tola of a silver coin). (1 tola is 11.66 grams). 

Lowest grade Officers were given 60 Pann as salary. Some employs were getting 10 to 20 Pann as their salary.  This way we find that most of the employs were getting cash in salary.

The author of ‘Arthsastra’ Kautalya or Chanakaya has mentioned 7 parts of a state.

 These are –

(1) King,  (2) Amatya (Minister),  (3) Janpada (District),  (4) Durg (Fort),  (5) Kosh (Treasure),  (6) Sena (Army),  and  (7) Mitra (Friends).

 Any Nation is based on these parts. King is the head of these parts. That’s why Kautalya has given stress on the ability of the king. Arthsastra says ‘The character of the king is the character of the people’.

The work of a king is divided into 3 parts. –

1. Karyapalika (Executive) – 

Appointment of all Top posts of the state - Amatya (Minister), Purohit (Family Priest), Senapati (Army General), Yuvraja Prince), Guptchar (secret service agents), Rajdut (Ambassadors),  ‘Mahamatra’, Council of Ministers etc was the duty of the king.

 Meeting of the council of ministers, Policy decision and its workout was the one of the most important work of the king. 

Taking decisions on the report of the secret service people and its result was also the task of the king.

New budget, Income – expenditure of the state, taxation its implementation was the work of the king. 

All departments of the state were under control of the king. War and Treaty was not possible without king’s order or consent. Appointments to the most important offices were made by the ruler himself.

2. Vidhayaka (Legislative) -

 In his inscriptions Ashoka writes that ‘The order of the king is above all orders’. 

Kautalya or Chanakaya called king ‘Dharma Pravaratak’ (king is known as Promulgator of social order).

In Arthsastra ‘Chanakaya’ declares “ Whatever pleases himself the king shall not consider as good, but whatever pleases his subjects he shall consider as good”. 

The king is also advised to show fatherly kindness to his people. 

During making or implementation of law there was no difference between any religion and between foreigners and Local citizens. 

King often laid down the broad lines of policy and issued rescripts and codes of regulations (sasan, Dharma Niyama) for the guidance of his officers and people.

3. Nayaya (Judiciary) - 

The king is the chief Judge. He is the final authority in any case. Megasthenes writes ‘the king took part in wars and administration of Justice’. Chanakaya writes ‘Justice shouldn’t be delayed’. 

In ‘Arthsastra’ at another place Chanakaya says –

“धमॅश्च व्यवहारश्च चरितरमं राजशाशनम्, विवादार्थश्चतुष्पादां पश्चिमः पूवॅ-बाधकः । (king is the source of the law, and order of the king is more important than the ‘Dharma).

Mantriparisad (Council of ministers) –

There was a council of ministers under the Prime Minister to help the Emperor to look out the works of the nation. 

Chanakaya is the first prime minister of the Mauryan Empire.

 Due to his able guidance Emperor Chandragupta never felt burdened and was free to unite the nation under one rule.

In Bindusara’s (son of Chandragupta) council of ministers there were 500 ministers. 

Chanakaya says in Arthsastra that small council is neither good for the king or for the people.

 The salary of the council of the ministers was 12,000 pann. (1 Pann is equal to ¾ tola of a silver coin). (1 tola is 11.66 grams). 

The proceedings of the council were secret.  The decision was taken with majority, but if needed or king thinks it appropriate he was able to change the decision. This council was not for daily work, it was called when needed.