Political Concepts in Ancient India /151

Glossary
 
honour and dress in higher (mahatiī) degree
(mātrā) or measure.
 

(mātrā) or measure. mantre karmaṇi bhuṣāyāṁ vitte māne paricchade mātrā ca
mahatī yeṣāṁ mahāmātrāstu te smṛtāḥ.
(9) According to SŚukra each minister had two

junior ministers attached to his particular
department."
 

department. ekasminnadhikāre tu puruṣaṇāṁ trayaṁ sadā niyuñjīta
prājñatamaṁ mukhayam ekaṁ tu teṣu vai (Śukranitisāra II 109).
The chief of these three was distinguished by

the title Mahāmātra.³
 
K. P. Jayaswal, Hindu Polity, p. 305.
 
MAHIŞI ṢĪ--(1) The queen.
 

(2) The chief queen.
 

(3) One of the eleven Ratnins (q.v.).
 
131
 

 
MAHĪDURGA--(1) An earth fort (vide Mbh. Santi
Śānti
86.5 and Manu Samṁ. VII. 70).
 

(2) Medhaātithi describes it to be a fort surroun-

ded on all sides by deep waters.
 

 
MĀTSYANYAĀYA--(1) The maxim of the strong

fishes destroying the weak ones in the open sea.

In analogy with it, the term in the context

of politics means "a state of anarchy".¹ In the
absence of a king there occurs a state of anarchy
(Mātsyanyāya) where the strong men destroy
the weak ones with impunity. See AS I. 4 for
the use of the term and explanation.³
 
6. mantre karmaṇi bhuṣāyāṁ vitte māne paricchade mātrā ca
mahati yeşāṁ mahāmātrāstu te smṛtāḥ.
 
7. ekasminnadhikare tu puruşaṇām trayam sada niyunjita
prājñatamaṁ mukhayam ekaṁ tu teşu vai (Śukranitisūra II 109).
8. K. P. Jayaswal, Hindu Polity, p. 305.
 
1. See Jayaswal, Hindu Polity, p. 82 n.
 
2 In the
absence of a king there occurs a state of anarchy
(Mātsyanyāya) where the strong men destroy
the weak ones with impunity. See AŚ I. 4 for
the use of the term and explanation. apraṇīto hi mātsyanyāyam udbhāvayanti valfyān abalaṁhi
grasate dandṇḍadharābhāve.
 
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UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN