Cultural Study of Nisitha Curni

Author(s): Madhu Sen
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar

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A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA QURNI intelligence and surveillance of the State subjects and the other in charge of collating external intelligence and organising espionage activities in the neighbouring States. These spies worked in the guise of travellers, traders etc. The monks were often suspected to be spies (cara) 2 from the neighbouring States. The spies indeed would have found it feasible to disguise themselves as monks to avoid the suspicion of the State-officers. In the raśastilaka we find a spy disguised as a religious mendicant and surrounded by his disciples who proclaim his mystic powers. * With the help of the reports regularly furnished by the spies, the kings were facilitated in the proper administration of the State. External Affairs
The External or Foreign affairs of the State were entrusted in the hands of an officer variously called as rāyadita,+ dūtas or dātapuri sa® in the text. The State envoys were entitled to move even in the hostile kingdoms and no harm was done to their person.? Somadeva also asserts : “An envoy is not to be molested on any account howsoever rudely he may speak, because he speaks the wishes of his master.” In the contemporary inscriptions, dūta is sometimes taken as an occasional substitute for the dutaka who was authorised to issue the copper-plate charters.' Written messages were sent abroad
1. Vide–Beni Prasad, op. cit., p. 392. The sūcakas, anu-sūcakas, prati
sūcakas and sarva-sūcakas were four classes of spies who were entrusted with different rights and duties-V yavahāra Bhasy,
1, pp. 129 f. 2. NO. 3, p. 113. 3. Handiqui, K. K., Yašastilaka and Indian Culture, p. 109. 4. trução at af Fafa--NC. 3, p. 203. 5. NC. 3, pp. 204, 262. 6. NC, 3, p. 203. 7. Ibid. 8. Harguitst a part, Halaca: pia tefia-Nitivā., p. 171. 9. CII. III, p. 100, note 3; also p. 217, note 9. In the NC. dūtaga is
meu tioned as distinct from duta and is shown as an employee of the royal court-NC. 3, p. 274.