JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION OF MAURYAN EMPIRE 

BY YASHMITA 

GURU GOBIND SINGH INDRAPRASTHA UNIVERSITY, DELHI 

ABSTRACT 

Maurya Empire was the vast and significant Empire in all over the India.  there well-organized system made them strong. There are so many sources like literary, coins, seals, inscriptions, etc. were give the information about the Mauryan empire judicial administration. The Maurya Empire (322-185 B.C.E), told by strategies for the Maurya tradition, become a geologically liberal and incredible political and equipped power domain in significant India.  The Mauryan empire was centralized and well settled with strict enforcement.  The Mauryan were able to maintain security and political unity across large part of the western and southern Asia. The ruler of the Mauryan Empire bound the previously factured region of the India n Subcontinent. In this article will get to know about the judicial administration of the Mauryan empire and how it’s works during that period   

The Mauryan Empire   

The rise of Maurya empire which is started from the Magadha, Magadha was the one of the most significant Mahajanpada at that time because of there highly fertile land and rich iron mines. Apart from there land and mines there is one more reason which makes it strong, that was their ruler. Almost all the ruler of the Magadha was strong and expand their empire by time. The first ruler of the Magadha is from haryanka dynasty who is bimbisara. He is the contemporary to the buddha and he rule for atleast 52 year. Bimbisara expanded his territory through marriage alliance and war. He won the ANGA in war and KASHI some part in dowry. After the haryanka dynasty, shisunga ruler came into rule, and the last ruler of this dynasty is Dhan nanda who was defeated by the Chandragupta Maurya. 

The founder of the Mauryan empire was Chandragupta Maurya. He was the one of strongest ruler in the Maurya empire. He pushed his influence westward across central and western India with the support of Chanakya (Kautilya). The Mauryan empire is the world largest empire. Chanakya’s Arthashastra talk about the Chandragupta Maurya court and administration. After the Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka the grand son was the strongest ruler in the India.  Ashoka was the tyrant king in the Magadha, after the Kalinga war he converted himself into Buddhism. It was assume that he does not convert himself directly just after war and he adopt dhamma. Dhamma refers to the moral and ethical code. According to the dhamma principle focused on promoting moral behavior, tolerance, non-violence and welfare, while fostering respect for all religion and belief.

1. PRINCIPLE 

1. Ashoka’s Dhamma focused on guiding people to behave rightly in society

2. He emphasized tolerance not just between different faiths, but also among people in general.
3. Ashoka promoted kindness and ethical behavior towards all.
4. Non-violence became a central value under his rule.
5. His 13th rock edict famously reveals his deep remorse after the Kalinga war.
6. Ashoka’s decision to appoint Dhamma Mahamattas (special officers) instead of relying solely on Buddhist institutions like the Samgha.
7. He consistently advocated for respect and harmony among all religious sects. 

All these principles were engraved on the pillar and rock inscription. Ashoka spread his  message with help of dhamma Mahamatras. There were 14 pillar and rock edicts of Ashoka in which he engraved the policy of dhamma. These inscriptions were spread all the part of India. So he can spread the dhamma policy among the India.   

  2.  SAPTANG THEORY 

The Kautily’s  saptang theory put the concept of state or seven elements of the state

1. Svami (king): Monarchy is considered the norm by the arthashastra and all is teaching is addressed to the king. King is the supreme authority of his empire. According to the Kautilya is the was energetic, then his subject too would be energetic. 
2. Amatya (ministers): The amatya was the higher-ranking officers, counsellor and head of the department. 
3. Janpada (the territory): it is referred as the territory of the realm empire 
4. Durg (A fortified capital): Crucial to the defense of the realm, fortified cities protect important border regions, serve as the during the time of the attack. 
5. Kosha (treasury): its referred as the revenue , which is backbone of the army and administration. 
6. Danda (justice or force): Punishment for the offences and the crime. It can be referred as the force and justice 
7. Mitra (ally): This element referred as the friend or the political allies.

Dividing the state into seven basic constituents allowed one to assess the individual strength or weakness of each constituent. Each of the seven constituent element is defined by a group of ideal qualities. These elements are not equal.

3.  ADMINISTRATION

(A)  Judicial Administration 

In the Mauryan empire justice was Administered through court establish in all the Major town 

Dharmasthiya Courts:  This kind of court deal with the civil law such as marriage or inheritance. They were presided over by three judge well- versed in sacred laws and three Amatyas (secretaries) assisting them.

Kantaksodhana courts: These court were responsible for removing thorns, i.e., eliminating anti-social elements and addressing crime. Like modern policy, they were presided over by three judges and three amatyas. Relying on a network of spies information. 

Punishment: In Mauryan empire punishment were typically severe, reflecting a strict legal system aimed at maintaining social order and deterring criminal activities. 

According to the Kautilya there were three types of punishment present in the Mauryan empire  

1. Prior courage punishment: For the normal crime or offence the penalty from 48 to 96 panas 
2. Medium courage punishment: for the moderate offence the penalty 200 to 500 panas 
3. Uttam sahas danda: the most severe crime the penalty 500 to 1000 panas 

Appart from this punishment of imprisonment, whipping, mutilation and death penalty was given. 

  (B)  Central administration 

The central administration classified under the following:

• The king: the king has been given primacy even in the normative texts. The arthashastra states the king as the supreme authority of the administration.  He had the power to appoint or remove the ministers (amatyas), king defend the people and treasury, look the welfare of the people, give punishment and make law and order, influence the people (praja) through his morality. 
• Councils of ministers: also known Mantri parishad, they assist the king in administration. The YUVRAJA, PUROHIT, SENAPATI and others minister were the member of the Mantri parishad. There was also inner council of ministers (mantris) who were consulted on issues which needed immediate attention.
• The Army: according to the arthashastra Mauryan had a large army. It included infantry, cavalry, elephants, chariots, transport and navy too. army have the crucial role to its expansion and maintenance across the vast territory.   

 (C) PROVINCIAL GOVERNANCE 

The Mauryan empire divided into provinces according to the inscriptions of Ashoka, we know the following:

1. Uttarpatha: this included north-western region. Its capital was Taxila. 
2. Avantirth: the capital of region was Ujjayini. 
3. Kalinga: the capital here was Tosli.
4. Dakshinapatha: Suvarnagiri was the capital of southern region. 

(D) MUNICIPAL or VILLAGE ADMINISTRATION 

According to the arthashastra, the smallest unit of the administration was the village. Small group of villages considered as the one district. And collection of districts formed a province. There was a tax collector of every district, responsible for the various type of revenue. The officials list were pradeshika , rajukas and yukta

Pradeshika: was the overall in charge of the district.

Yuktas: was a junior officer giving secretarial kind of assistance to the other two. duty of the yuktas was survey and assessment of land; tours and inspection; revenue collection; and maintaining law and order. 

Rajukas: the 4th pillar edict of the Ashoka mentioned that he granted the independent authority to the rajukas to carry out certain responsibility related to public welfare. 

And there are was so many officers were appointed by the king for the responsibility of village and municipal. All these were directly selected or approved by the king and any law and order which made for the municipal and village is approved by the king too. 

(4) CONCLUSION 

 It’s clearly shown that Mauryan empire is centralized, arthashastra of Kautilya and indica of megathenese were give the information of the Mauryan empire. The Mauryan judiciary operated on a tried system. At the village level local bodies were settled the small disputes. Higher courts were made for the district level. At end the highest appeal goes to the king himself. The Mauryan empire aimed to provide a stable and orderly society through a well-defined legal frame work.