Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 4

Author(s): R P Poddar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 94

Ideals of Asokan Polity
85
representative assembly in a regular
of his people than the so-called democracy' of present times.s
He clearly visualised that there could be no nation without a true national feeling. and there could be no national feeling without a national character, and there could be no national character, without espousing a common cause of humanity, such as, elevation of human nature or the education of men to certain excellences of character (P. E. VIL.).9 And as such, he instituted a special class of officials known as Dharma Mahāmatras which no longer existed before. They were to educate people in the rules of morality, redress their grievances, supervise Jail manuals, grant eertain reliefs to the prisoners in deserving cases, check the abuse of Judicial procedures and so on10 (R. E. V). The sphere of activity of these officials embraced not only the common folk but also the royal harem, and the territories of frontier kings such as Yona, Gandhara, Kamboja,, Rastrika, Pitanika etc. He took special note of female, backward, and tribal population nd appointed special officers for their welfare viz.- Ithijhakha Mahāmātas'11 Vracabhumika Mahāmātās', and 'Anta Mahāmātās'. Besides, to insure smooth functioning of these measures and 8. Mookerji, R. K. Asoka p. 48 Raj Kamal Pubications
Ltd. 1955. 9. से किनसु जने अनलुपाया धंमबढ़िया बढ़ेया ति । किनसु कानि अभ्युनामयेहं
धंम बढ़िया ति । एतं देवानं पिये पियदसि लाजा हेवं आहा · धंम सावनानि सावापयामि धंमानुसथि नि अनुसासामि । एतं जने सुतु अनुपटीपजीसति
अभ्युनमिसति धंम बढ़िया च बाढ़ बढिसति । P. E. VII. 10. से अतिकतं अंतलं नो हुतपुलुवा धंममहामाता नामा । तदेसवसाभिसितेन मया
धंममहामाता कटा । ते सब पासंडेसु वियापटा धंमाधिथानाये चा धंम बढ़िया हितसुखाये वा धंमयुतसा योन कंबोज गंधालानं ए वा पि अंने अपलंता । भटमयेसु, बभनिभेसु, अनथेसु, बुधेसु हितसुखाये धंमयुताये अपलिबोधाये वियापटा ते । बंधनवधसा पटिविधानाये अपलिबोधाये मोखाये चा इयं अनुवधा पजा व ति वा कटाभिकाले ति वा महालके ति वा वियापटा ते । R. E. V. एवं हि देवानं पियस इछा किति सब पासंडा बहुस्र ता च असु, कलाणागमा च असु । ये च तत्र तत प्रसंना तेहि वतव्वं ---देवानं पियो नो तथा दानं व पूजां व मंजते यथा किंति सारबढ़ी अस सबं पासंडानं । बहुका च एताय अथा व्यापता धममहामाता च इथीझख महामाता च वचभूमिका च अजेच निकाया । R. E.XII.