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

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A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
Zśvara', talvara2 and madambiyas also appear to have been the leaders of certain groups of villages. Administration in the towns seems to have differed according to the geographical, political or economic situation of a town. In the nigamas or towns exclusively inhabited by the merchants, the administration was solely run by the members of the merchant communities and their Head or President was directly responsible to the king. The setthi and satthavāha have been frequently mentioned as the executive officers in a town. Though the king was ultimately responsible for the over-all administration in the State, it is evident that the popular element also played a great part in the administration of the lower units. Village Administration
Grāma or village was the smallest administrative unit. This was virtually the basis of the whole administration. The village-headman has been variously called mahattara", grāmamahattara®, grāmakūțao, grāmabhojika10 or bhojikal! in the text. In administration he was always assisted by a senior village-officer known as grāmavyä přtaka."2 It seems
1. Ozan : T, ĦT ITTIFAaiche2--Ibid. 2. RA athafect Taal--Ibid. 3. i forca arafa i Arefa311--Ibid. In the Vyavahāra Bhāsya Tikā
(4.52) Madambiya is explained as a leader of Madamba which
consisted of eighteen thousand villages. 4. NC. 4, p. 14. 5. NC. 2, pp. 267, 450; NC. 3, p. 489. 6. NC. 2, p. 183; NC. 3, p. 57. For the constituents of a village see
Brh. Blā. 1096-1100; also LAI., p. 82. 7. NC. 2, pp. 144, 183; Harsacarita, p. 84; various Jaina inscriptions
refer to the mahattar as or mahattumus of a village -see Jaina
Silalekha Sangraha, 1, pp. 248, 249 an 1 266. 8. HETTI OTHO: YTH HET Z: ---NC. 2, p. 183. 9. Ibid. 10. NC. 2, p. 450. 11. NO. 2, p. 81. A Grant of Ranagraha of the year 640 A.D. shows a
bhojika acting as dütaka-EIII, No. 4; EI. V, No. 5. 12. NO. 2, p. 183.