Cultural Study of Nisitha Curni

SR No.: 001743
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Madhu Sen
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar
Publication Year: 1975
Total Pages: 432
Language: English, Prakrit
Classification: Book_English, Agam, Canon, & Literature
File Size: 23 MB

Page 83

POLITY AND ADMINISTRATION
the State without being subjected to any public humiliation; sometimes they were even allowed to take their property with them. The ordinary citizens or the victims of some serious crime, however, were often taken around the city on an ass or horse, and then subjected to public humiliation. They were then turned out of the city and their property confiscated by the State 1 In the Samaraiccakaha, we find the king banishing Cakkadeva, the son of Apratihatacakra, for stealing gold articles of the merchant Camḍamāna.2
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Death was the last penalty that could befall the fate of a victim. Various forms of corporal punishment (māraṇadamḍa)3 like mutilation of head or impaling*, poisoning, exposing the body to crows and vultures", or burning a criminal alive in the fire, are mentioned in the text. The legal code for the criminals was thus harsh and rigorous, although the wealthy citizens and the persons of higher social standing can be observed in attempting to escape punishment by bribing the judicial authorities, or by pleasing the king.
the text.
There might have been other departments also, but the above mentioned were the important ones as can be judged from the respective designations of the officers mentioned in This fairly large and comprehensive list of the State-officers presupposes a full-fledged scheme of administration. Assisted by this official hierarchy at the centre, the king must have efficiently ruled from the capital (rayahāņi)." Administrative and Territorial Units
For a proper administration the States were divided into various manageable units. Various units like gama, pura,
1. The commentary on Uttaradhyayana informs us that a person charged with adultery was banished from the town by the king in such a manner (23, pp. 285 f.; also LAI., p. 701).
2. Samaraiccakaha, Vol. 1, preface pp. XXXII-XXXIV.
3. NC. 4, p. 343.
4. NC. 2, p. 18.
5. NC. 3, p. 292.
6. NC. 4, pp. 10-11.
7. रायाधिट्ठिता रायहाणी - NC. 2, p. 328.