Mauryan Arts and Administration

Emperor Ashoka (reigned c. 268–232 BCE) issued 14 Major Rock Edicts inscribed on rocks across his vast empire, written in Prakrit language and Brahmi script. These edicts reflect his policy of Dhamma (moral law), ethical governance, and concern for public welfare after the Kalinga war.

Ashoka’s Major Rock Edicts

Edict Number	Main Themes and Content	Detailed Explanation
First Rock Edict	Condemnation of Animal Sacrifice	Ashoka criticized the practice of animal sacrifice, especially during royal feasts. He discouraged killing animals for rituals. He himself gave up hunting and reduced the killing of animals even for food.
Second Rock Edict	Healthcare for Humans and Animals	Ashoka announced the establishment of medical facilities not just for people but also for animals. He planted herbs, medicinal plants, and trees and dug wells across his empire, including in foreign lands, showing his concern for public welfare and animals.
Third Rock Edict	Tour of Officials Every Five Years & Dhamma Teachings	Government officers, especially Pradesika, Rajukas and Yuktas (districts level), were instructed to go on tours every five years to monitor public needs and spread moral teachings (Dhamma). Emphasis was laid on values like obedience to parents, elders, kindness to slaves, and religious tolerance.
Fourth Rock Edict	Promotion of Dhamma over War (Dhammaghosha vs. Bherighosha)	Ashoka stated that earlier kings glorified Bherighosha (the sound of war drums), but now he promoted Dhammaghosha (the sound of Dhamma), i.e., spreading ethical values instead of violence.
Fifth Rock Edict	Appointment of Dhamma-Mahamatras	Ashoka appointed special officers called Dhamma-Mahamatras to promote moral conduct, help the needy, care for prisoners, and ensure harmony among all religious groups.
Sixth Rock Edict	Self-Control and Public Welfare	This edict teaches the importance of self-discipline, truthfulness, patience, and justice. Ashoka emphasized that the king must always work in the interest of the people and listen to public opinion.
Seventh and Eighth Rock Edicts	Ashoka’s Pilgrimages (Dhamma-Yatra)	Ashoka gave up royal pleasures and began Dhamma-yatras (pilgrimages) instead of hunting tours. He visited Buddhist holy places like Lumbini and promoted religious tolerance and respect for all sects.
Ninth Rock Edict	True Gift and True Etiquette	Ashoka criticized meaningless rituals and ceremonies. He taught that the real gift (Satya-Dana) is moral behavior – like respecting elders, helping others, and speaking the truth.
Tenth Rock Edict	Welfare as the Duty of King and Officials	Ashoka emphasized that both the king and his high officials must always think for the benefit of the public rather than personal fame or glory.
Eleventh Rock Edict	Essence of Dhamma	Dhamma was explained as moral conduct, which includes compassion, non-violence, truthfulness, generosity, and purity of heart. It aimed at social harmony and not religious dominance.
Twelfth Rock Edict	Religious Tolerance and Women Officers	Ashoka promoted respect for all religious beliefs and appointed female officers (Stri-Mahamatras) for welfare of women. This shows his progressive outlook.
Thirteenth Rock Edict	Kalinga War and Ashoka’s Change of Heart	Describes the Kalinga War, its heavy casualties, and how the suffering changed Ashoka’s heart. He vowed to never fight again and spread Dhamma. Also mentions diplomatic relations with kings like Antiochus, Ptolemy, and others.
Fourteenth Rock Edict	Encouragement to Lead a Religious Life	Ashoka encouraged people to lead a morally upright life guided by compassion, charity, and truth. He also said that edicts were written in different places and languages so that people everywhere could understand them.

Locations of Ashoka’s Major Rock Edicts

The 14 Major Rock Edicts of Ashoka have been discovered at eight prominent locations across the subcontinent, providing insight into his Dhamma policy and imperial administration:

Location	Region	Significance
Dhauli	Odisha	Identified with ancient Tosali, a provincial capital.
Girnar	Kathiawar, Gujarat	Also contains inscriptions of Skandagupta and Rudradaman, highlighting its continued importance.
Jaugada	Ganjam district, Odisha	Similar in content to the Dhauli edicts; part of Kalinga, a recently conquered region.
Kalsi	Dehradun, Uttarakhand	Only site in the Himalayan foothills; indicates northern administrative reach.
Mansehra	Hazara (now in Pakistan)	Inscribed in Kharosthi script; located on an important ancient pilgrim route.
Shahbazgarhi	Peshawar district (Pakistan)	Another Kharosthi inscription, part of Ashoka’s northwest frontier.
Sopara	Thane, Maharashtra	An ancient port city, reflecting Mauryan interest in maritime regions.
Yerragudi	Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh	Likely a frontier town, highlighting the southern boundary of the empire.

Special Kalinga Edicts

• Two Separate Edicts found in Kalinga (now Odisha), part of the Jaugada series, reflect Ashoka’s remorse after the Kalinga War and his commitment to Dhamma.

Historian Ranabir Chakravarti classifies the Mauryan empire into three territorial zones:

1. Metropolitan Area (Magadha)

• Political and economic nucleus of the empire.
• Directed conquests and received major revenues from provinces.

2. Core Areas

• Mainly the Ganga valley, formerly home to Mahajanapadas.
• Integrated into the empire and politically reorganized.

3. Peripheral Zones

• Included Kathiawar, Afghanistan, and peninsular India.
• Regions with less socio-political restructuring; exploited mainly for mineral extraction.

Ashoka referred to the empire as:

• Rajavishaya (royal domain),
• Zijita (conquered land),
• Jambudvipa (subcontinental identity), and
• Prithvi/Pathavi (the Earth), symbolizing universal rule.

• Bhabru Inscription: Records Ashoka’s firm conversion to Buddhism after 2.5 years under the guidance of Upagupta, a Buddhist monk.

Missionary Activities:

• Sent Mahendra and Sanghamitra to Sri Lanka as Buddhist emissaries.
• Dispatched a branch of the Bodhi tree to Sri Lanka, strengthening religious ties.
• King Tissa of Ceylon modeled himself after Ashoka.

Cultural and Regional Ties:

• Tradition holds that Ashoka founded Srinagar.
• Regions like Khotan (Central Asia) and parts of Nepal were within Mauryan influence.
• One of Ashoka’s daughters reportedly married into Nepalese nobility.

This multi-layered portrayal of Ashoka reveals not only his imperial might but also his efforts toward cultural integration, moral governance, and religious propagation across South and Central Asia.

Ashoka’s Pillar Edicts (7 in Total – All in Brahmi Script)

Pillar Location	Important Facts
1. Prayag (Allahabad)	Originally in Kaushambi, later moved by Emperor Akbar to the Allahabad Fort. Contains multiple edicts including Queen’s edict and Schism edict.
2. Delhi (Topra Pillar)	Originally from Topra (Haryana), brought to Delhi by Firoz Shah Tughlaq in the 14th century. Describes moral governance and public welfare.
3. Delhi (Meerut Pillar)	Another important pillar edict. Promotes Dhamma and rules of moral conduct.
4. Lauriya Nandangarh (Bihar)	Contains Ashoka’s teachings about justice and mercy.
5. Lauriya Araraj (Bihar)	Similar content; shows how Ashoka spread his messages in different provinces.
6. Rampurva (Bihar)	Two pillars discovered; one has Ashoka’s edict, the other is plain.
7. Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh)	Near the site where Buddha gave his first sermon. Pillar is topped with the Lion Capital, which is now the National Emblem of India.

Administration During Ashoka’s Reign

Feature	Explanation
Council of Ministers (Mantriparishad)	Assisted the emperor in administration. The number of ministers varied (12, 16, or 20).
Topmost Officer (Tirtha/Mahamatra)	As mentioned in Kautilya’s Arthashastra, Tirthas were the top officers. Under Ashoka, many Mahamatras were appointed for specific duties (like Dhamma, women’s welfare, justice, etc.). Their number in Arthashastra was 18.
Intelligence Department (Chara / Jasoos)	Secret spies were employed to gather information about public opinion and detect corruption.
Provinces (Chakras)	The empire was divided into five major provinces, each called a Chakra. Examples: Magadha, Ujjain, Taxila, Kalinga, and Suvarnagiri.
Provincial Governors	Called Kumara (prince), Aryaputra, or Rashtriya. Usually a member of the royal family managed each province.
District Administration	Provinces were divided into smaller administrative units or districts, each under a subject ruler (Vishayapati or Pradeshika).
Village Administration	The smallest unit of administration was the village. Its head was called the Gramika, responsible for collecting taxes and maintaining law and order.

S.No.	Official Title (Corrected)	Role / Department	Detailed Explanation
1	Mantrin (Minister)	Prime Minister	The chief advisor to the king and head of administration. He was involved in important decisions of state.
2	Purohita (Priest)	Head of Religious & Charity Affairs	Responsible for rituals, temples, donations, and moral conduct in society.
3	Senapati (Commander)	Head of Military	Supreme commander of the armed forces; supervised all military operations.
4	Yuvaraj	Crown Prince	The designated heir to the throne; trained in administration and warfare.
5	Kotpal	State Gatekeeper / Security Head	Looked after city gates, security posts, and entry-exit control of cities and forts.
6	Antarveshika	Chief of Royal Harem	Managed palace women, queens, and internal palace discipline.
7	Samaharta	Revenue Collector	Collected taxes and revenue from various sources across the empire.
8	Sannidhata	Treasurer	In charge of the royal treasury, keeping and issuing state wealth.
9	Pradeshika / Prashasta	Superintendent of Prisons	Maintained discipline in jails, rehabilitation of prisoners.
10	Rajadhyaksha	State Commissioner	Oversaw departments like law, economy, and discipline.
11	Paura (City Superintendent)	City Police	Responsible for maintaining law and order in towns.
12	Dharmadhyaksha	Chief Justice	Ensured justice, heard civil and criminal cases.
13	Nagaraka / Veeradhyaksha	City Defence Chief	Ensured safety of cities from attacks, managed city guards.
14	Karmantika	Chief of Industry	Supervised factories, manufacturing, and labor force.
15	Mantriparishadadhyaksha	Chairman of Council of Ministers	Headed the group of ministers who assisted the king.
16	Ayudhapuradhyaksha	Head of Military Arsenal	Managed arms, ammunition, and military storage.
17	Durga Adhyaksha (Durgapal)	Fortress Guard	In charge of the defense of forts and surrounding regions.
18	Antapala	Border Security Chief	Guarded the frontier areas and border forts of the empire.

Point	Details and Explanation
Village Administration	The smallest unit of governance was the village. A Gopa ruled over 10 villages, ensuring tax collection, law, and order.
District Courts	Judges at the district level were known as Rajukas during Ashoka’s reign. They held both judicial and revenue responsibilities.
Government Land	Known as Sita land, it was cultivated by state-employed farmers. Revenue from this land went directly to the royal treasury.
Land Classification	Fertile land that could produce crops without irrigation or rainfall was called Adevamatrika.
Independent Women in Society	A woman who practiced prostitution by her own choice was called Rupajeeva, meaning “woman living by beauty.”

Feature	Explanation
City Governance	A committee of 30 members administered cities, divided into 6 boards with 5 members each.
Committee 1	Supervised industry, crafts, artisans, and workers.
Committee 2	Took care of foreigners, travelers, and their safety.
Committee 3	Maintained birth and death records of residents.
Committee 4	Regulated trade and commerce.
Committee 5	Monitored quality and pricing of goods sold in the market.
Committee 6	Responsible for collection of sales tax (1/10th of selling price). Tax evaders were punished severely, sometimes even with death.
Agronomoi	As per Megasthenes, they were road officers, maintaining roads and arranging transport.

Feature	Details
Commander-in-Chief	Called Senapati, he was the supreme military leader.
Field Commander	Known as Nayak, he led the troops in battle.
Military Committees (6 Total)	According to Megasthenes, there were 6 boards of 5 members each to manage: 1. Navy, 2. Transport & Logistics, 3. Infantry, 4. Cavalry, 5. Elephants, 6. Chariots
Army Size (As per Greek Sources)	Justin: 6 lakh soldiers Pliny: 6,00,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry, 9,000 elephants Justin (another quote): 50,000 cavalry, 9,000 elephants, 8,000 chariots
Spying System	Intelligence service under Mahamatya Sarpa. Sanstha: Stationary spy at one place Sanchar: Traveling spy (mobile intelligence) Gudhapurusha: Secret agent or “mystery man”

Topic	Facts
Maurya Dynasty Duration	Ruled for 137 years.
Support to Chandragupta Maurya	Received help from King Parvatak (Himalayan King) in defeating the Nandas.
Greek Sources	Megasthenes: Ambassador of Seleucus at Chandragupta’s court; wrote about Indian society, administration, and military. Pliny and Justin: Provided figures on army and military strength.
Social Structure (According to Megasthenes)	Indian society had 7 classes: 1. Philosophers, 2. Farmers, 3. Herders, 4. Artisans, 5. Soldiers, 6. Inspectors (officers), 7. Council Members
End of Maurya Dynasty	Brihadratha, the last Mauryan king, was killed in 185 BCE by Pushyamitra Shunga, who founded the Shunga Dynasty.
Number of Mauryan Rulers	Bhagavata Purana: 10 kings Vayu Purana: 9 kings

The Mauryan Empire marked a transformative phase in Indian history, both administratively and artistically. Its centralized administration, with a well-defined bureaucracy, spy system, and provincial governance, set the foundation for future Indian empires. The Arthashastra and Ashokan edicts offer valuable insights into the state’s functioning, policies, and ethical governance.

Artistically, the Mauryan period witnessed a significant evolution—from the highly polished stone pillars and majestic stupas to the expressive animal capitals and cave architecture. These creations reflect not only royal patronage but also a synthesis of indigenous and external artistic influences. Together, Mauryan art and administration exemplify the empire’s legacy of political unity, cultural richness, and philosophical depth, laying the groundwork for India’s classical age.

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