Political Concepts in Ancient India /62

42
 
Political Concepts in Ancient India
 
(3) The Amaātyas as well as the Mantris, and
īs, and
Sacivas of later times, were anticipated by

the Ratnins of the Vedic period."
 
A. S. Altekar, SGAI, p. 163.
(4) Mahaābhaārata (XII. 85. 7-8) refers to a

council of 36 Amaātyas. This council of
Ama
Amātya may be conjectured to have been

a body of advisers, larger than the council

of ministers (Mantriparişṣad).
 

(5) According to Amarakosa, an Amātya, when

he is a Dhiīsaciva, is called a Mantriī; others

are mere Karmasacivas.
 
mantrī dhīsacivo'mātyo'nye karmasacivā statah. (Amarakosa,
Ksatriyavarga).
(6) Kautṭilya distinguished between a Mantri
and an Amaī
and an Amātya by pointing out that the

salary of the former was 48000 while that

of the latter was 12000. A person who was

otherwise qualified to be an Amaātya was

not regarded as necessarily fit to become a

Mantriī. The Mantriī must have been an
Ama
Amātya, tested by all the 4 upadhās.
 

(7) Kautṭilya in AS', I. 9 enumerates a number

of qualities of an Amatya called Amaātya called Amātyasam-

pat. Many other types of officials were

required to share these qualities in common

with the Amaātyas. Hence, the higher

officials like the Lekhaka, Vyavahaārika,

etc., are taken to have been recruited from
the Amatya class.
 

the Amātya class.
(8) Junagarh Rock Inscription of Rudradāman
 

I (C. 150 A.D.) mentions one Suvisaśākha as
 
7. A. S. Altekar, SGAI, p. 163.
 
8. mantri dhisacivo'matyo'nye karmasacivā statah. (Amarakosa,
Ksatriyavarga).
 
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