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108
YASASTILAKA AND INDIAN CULTURE Book IV questioning the Sandhivigrahin about the sudden poals of music in the city. In Rājatarangini 4. 137-8 we have another glimpse of the functions of the Sandhivigrahin in the person of Mitraśarman, styled as the Sāndhivigrahika of Lalitāditya, king of Kashmir, who is present at the drafting of the treaty between Lalitāditya and Yasovarman of Kanauj, and objects to the latter's name being recorded prior to his master's in the document in question. In Bāņa's Harşacarita (Book VI) we find Harşa, after his decision to punish the king of Gauda for treachery, dictating to his Sandhivigrahin Avanti, called Mahā-sandhi-vigrahādhiksta, an arrogant proclamation calling upon all kings to accept his suzerainty or prepare for battle. It seems that there were sometimes more than one Sandhivigrahin in the same court: Somadeva, for instance, records what he calls the verses of the Sandhivigrahins' in the court of Yasodhara. The occasional addition of the epithet Mahit to the usual designation shows that there was sometimes a chief official of that class. Among the new offices created by Lalitāditya (first half of the eighth century), as related in Rājatarangini 4, 142, mention is made of a Mahā-sandhi-vigraha, which is also the appellation of Harşa's secretary for foreign affairs, as stated above. It may also be noted that one of the verses quoted from Vyāsa in Aparārka's commentary on Yājňavalkya 1. 319 refers to a Sandhi-vigrahalekhaka, obviously the same as Sandhivigrahin; but his function is to draft records of grants of land made by the king. It would appear that the Sandhivigrahin was a Secretary of State whose functions were not confined to the conduct of foreign affairs. Somadeva tells us that he should be able to read, write, narrate and interpret all scripts and languages: he should be ready-witted and capable of gauging the relative strength of his own master and other princes ( 3. 250): arafat ferafat Had Taufe Fat Peta 1919 i preparata: asfaa: sifafaragt #ret: it
The Akşapatalika or the keeper of the state records is mentioned in connection with the challenge to other kings (3. 112, 113) issued by Yasodhara,' similar to the one issued by Harsa in Bāņa's romance (see above). The Ākşapatalika is here commissioned to read out the message to the envoy who was expected to deliver it to the kings in question. The
1 'sa tu afaROTHIC=ESHT' P. 157. 2 श्रीयशोवर्मणः संधौ सांधिविग्रहिको न यत् । नयं नियमनालेखे मित्रशर्मास्य चक्षमे ॥ सोऽभूत् संधियशोवर्मललितादित्य.
योरिति । लिखितेनादिनिर्देशादनहत्वं विदन् प्रभोः ।।. 3 See above. fragraut afternut TATA' Book III. 4 See Chap. II. 6 'crareazkenetan era arrapater.
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