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42
 
Political Concepts in Ancient India
 
(3) The Amatyas as well as the Mantris, and
Sacivas of later times, were anticipated by
the Ratnins of the Vedic period."
 
(4) Mahabharata (XII. 85. 7-8) refers to a
council of 36 Amatyas. This council of
Amatya may be conjectured to have been
a body of advisers, larger than the council
of ministers (Mantriparişad).
 
(5) According to Amarakosa, an Amātya, when
he is a Dhisaciva, is called a Mantri; others
are mere Karmasacivas.
 
(6) Kautilya distinguished between a Mantri
and an Amatya 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 Amatya was
not regarded as necessarily fit to become a
Mantri. The Mantri must have been an
Amatya, tested by all the 4 upadhās.
 
(7) Kautilya in AS', I. 9 enumerates a number
of qualities of an Amatya called Amatyasam-
pat. Many other types of officials were
required to share these qualities in common
with the Amatyas. Hence, the higher
officials like the Lekhaka, Vyavaharika,
etc., are taken to have been recruited from
the Amatya class.
 
(8) Junagarh Rock Inscription of Rudradāman
 
I (C. 150 A.D.) mentions one Suvisakha as
 
7. A. S. Altekar, SGAI, p. 163.
 
8. mantri dhisacivo'matyo'nye karmasacivā statah. (Amarakosa,
Ksatriyavarga).
 
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UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN