Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 119

STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA
[Ch. Itl chieftain' (gananayaka), judge (dandanayaka), princes (raisara), chief police officer of the city (talavara), royal household staff (koḍumbiya purusa), chief merchant (satthavaha), general' (senāvai), military technical experts (cheyayariya), frontier-guard-officer (samdhivala), ambassador10 (duya), administrative officers" (Bhata and Caṭakara), and others.
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They formed the retinue of king's officers who assisted him in his heavy administrative work with their respective duties.
The evidences of the maintenance of such a large contingent of government officials as revealed in the BhS are also corroborated by other Jaina texts which furnish a long list of royal staff of the same categories mentioned above.
Besides these officers, the text refers to minor functionaries of the state, such as, bearers of sticks (latthi, lauda), sword (asi), lance (kunta), books (putthaya), stringed musical instrument (vina),13 charioteer1 (sarathi), marshall (or ancient pahakara), footsoldiers and others who formed the royal retinue during the journey of a king or a prince to any place.
Personal and Palace Staff
The Bh1 gives a long list of personal and palace staff maintained by the king in keeping with his majestic dignity. This contingent of household personnels employed in the service of the royal family consisted of chamberlain (kancuijje)18, enuch (varisadhare), courtier (mahattare), female inner doorkeepers (abbhimtariyão paḍihario), female outer door keepers
1 Bhs,7, 9, 300; 11, 9, 417. 2 Ib. 11, 9, 417.
3 Ib, 9, 33, 385, 13, 6, 491.
5 Ib, 9, 33, 385. 7 Ib, 7, 9, 300; 7, 9, 301; 8 lb, 7, 9, 300.
Ib. 9, 33, 385; 13, 6, 491; Talavara may mean also Knight. 81b, 9, 33, 385; 13, 6, 491. also see Ovaiya Sutta.
9 Ib, 7, 9, 303, 11, 9, 417.
10 1b, 7, 9, 303, 11, 9, 417. 11 Ib, 7, 9, 300, 9, 33, 383.
12 Rayapaseniya Sutta Tika., p. 313; 148, p. 285; Niśī, cū, 9, p. 506; Brh. Bha. vṛtti, 3.3757; Kalpa Ti. 4. 62.
13 Bhs, 9, 33, 385. 14 I6, 9, 33, 385, 7, 9, 301.
15 Ib, 9, 33. 385.
17 Ib, 11, 11, 430
16 Ib, 9, 33, 385; 7, 9, 300 (Payatta, Yoha). -18 Ib, 9, 33, 383; 11, 11, 430.