Jain Journal 2004 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 11

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JAIN JOURNAL VOL-XXXIX, NO. 2 OCT. 2004
kingship is independent of kṣatriya-birth". (p 270). Gopala in his Kamadhenu also reiterated the same view.
Lakṣmidhara in his Krtya-kalpa-taru focuses the idea of the origin and nature of kingship based on Manu and Nārada. While believing in the divine origin of the king, he also upholds that the penal authority of the king is the sign of securing of the social and political order of the country.
Hemacandra in his Laghv-arhan-niti has stated an interesting theory of the origin of rājanīti. In his opinion, the creation of Rajanīti goes back as far as to the prophet king Rṣabha. Hemacandra makes the science as of Jain origin.
Administrative Organisations
After the rise and fall of the Imperial Pratihāras of Kanauj (750-850 A.D.), there arose new powers in different parts of North and South India. In the North, Chaulukyas of Gujarat, the Chandellas of Jejakabhukti, the Paramāras of Malvā, and the Kalachuris of Chedi became very powerful rulers. In the South, in a similar way, the Chaulukyas of Kalyana, the Cholas, the Yadavas, the Hoysalas, and the Pandyas became the powerful rulers.
In course of time, many kings have some titles which show the status of the kings. For example, the famous kings of the Kalachuris of Chedi had the epithets like gajapati (king of elephants), aśvapati (king of horses), narapati (king of men), and rājatrayādhipati (lord of the three grades of kings). All these epithets indicate the status of the kings.
Next in the royal line was mahārāja-putra (crown prince) - the sons of the kings.
Next in rank were the officers bearing the titles of the Chief ministers popularly known by the terms amatya-mukhya, mantripradhāna, or pradhānāmātya. A minister who was in charge of religious endowments was known by the term dharmakarmadhikari. The Kalachuris recorded the names of other dignitaries, such as, mahāmātya, dharmapradhana, dasamulika, sandhivigrahika, pratihāras, duṣṭasādhya and so on. These titles were used in order to administer a particular locality of a village or of an area. Incidentally, it can be mentioned that in the13th century, the Chandellas of Jejakabhukti used the titles for the office bearers of