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Think about it
"One wheel does not move the carriage." The king was one wheel. He needed the others.
Did the king rule alone, and who generally formed the mantri-parishad?
No, he had a council of ministers called the mantri-parishad.
What was the council of ministers?
- The mantri-parishad was a small body of elder statesmen whose primary role was to advise and support the king .
Who generally sat in the council of ministers?
Mantri-parishad - advised and supported the king
Treasurer
Treasury / money
Chief tax collector
Revenue
Chief legal advisor
Law
Commander-in-chief
Defence
- Its primary role was to advise and support the king .
- The king governed through a multi-layered administrative system , and this council was central to it.
Who was generally in it
Money, revenue, law, defence.
What is Kautilya’s Saptanga theory of the state?
![Council of Ministers - State and Society up to 1000 CE - [Teachoo] - Concepts](https://cdn.teachoo.com/dd5bba30-06b8-42a8-ae43-e50cd3f97aaa/a-fortified-town.jpg)
A fortified town
- Saptanga means the state was understood as an organic whole made up of seven constituents . The chapter says the state functions effectively when these remain properly integrated.
| Constituent | Meaning given in the chapter |
|---|---|
| Swami | The king |
| Amatya | Councillors, ministers and other high officials |
| Janapada | The territory of the state together with its population |
| Durga | Fortified towns and cities |
| Kosha | The treasury or wealth of the kingdom |
| Danda | The forces of defence and law and order |
| Mitra | The allies |
Why does the Arthashastra stress both training and cooperation in governance?
- The Arthashastra is described in the chapter as one of the earliest and most systematic treatises on statecraft .
- It emphasises training the king in the art of governance and public administration .
- Its statement, “one wheel does not move the carriage” , expresses the idea that effective governance requires cooperation and a well-organised administrative machinery .
Why couldn't the king govern alone?
Cooperation among king, ministers and officers
A multi-layered administrative machinery
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Effective governance
Could the council take decisions when the emperor was absent, and what evidence do inscriptions provide?
- An Ashokan inscription refers to decisions taken by the council of ministers during the emperor’s absence.
- The chapter uses this to show that, in exceptional circumstances , the council could take decisions independently in the public interest .
Why is the Junagadh Rock Inscription such valuable evidence for administration across different periods?
Don't Miss Out — The Junagadh Rock Inscription
- It is near Girnar in Gujarat .
- It preserves inscriptions of three rulers from different periods on the same rock.
| Ruler | Period | What the inscription records |
|---|---|---|
| Ashoka | 3rd century BCE | Major Rock Edicts in Prakrit spreading the message of Dhamma and moral governance. |
| Rudradaman I | c. 150 CE | A long Sanskrit inscription describing military achievements and repair of the Sudarshana Lake. |
| Skandagupta | 5th century CE | Records restoration of the lake after severe damage. |
This one site therefore preserves evidence spanning roughly 700 years and gives information about administration, public works and political history.
The Junagadh Rock Inscription
THINK ABOUT IT — page 111
Why do you think different rulers chose to record their inscriptions on the same stone instead of a new one? Discuss your answers with your classmates.
Show Answer
Suggested answer / inference:
the textbook does not state the reason.
- The rock was already an established inscription site, so later rulers may have deliberately added their records to a place already associated with public authority.
- Because the records also concern the Sudarshana Lake and its repairs, using the same site may have connected later public works with earlier ones.
Section Summary - Council of Ministers
Who
Mantri-parishad, a small body of elder statesmen
Members
Treasurer, chief tax collector, legal advisor, commander
Role
Advise and support the king
↓
One wheel does not move the carriage - the king governed through a council
