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1. AIHC & Arch-C-601: Ancient Indian Polity and Administration
Unit II : Principles of Ancient Indian Polity
6. Mantriparishad - Composition, Functions & Scope
मंत्रिपरिषद - िचना, कार्य औि कार्यक्षेि
Sachin Kr. Tiwary

2. Importance
Antiquity
Members
Ratni
Features
Nos. ?
Duties
Eligibility
Mantriparishad ?

3. •Mantripariṣad (मन्त्रिपरिषद्) refers to a “council
of ministers” and is a concept commonly know to the ancient
Indian science of Society and Polity, as defined in Kauṭilya’s
Arthaśāstra (4th century BCE): one of the most influential
treatises of political science.
• Minister or Mantri (next to the king) + Assembly, or parishad, (to the
meetings of which members were summoned by kettledrum.)
• Next to the king came the mantri-pariṣad (council of
ministers).
• The king was enjoined to discuss every matter with his
Council of Ministers, which had two levels, inner and outer.
• The inner cabinet had four members: the Chief Minister, the
Chief Priest, the Military Commander and the Crown Prince.
• The membership of the outer cabinet was not fixed in
number

4. Importance
• Arthashastra-
• Manusmriti-
• Shukra-
Council of Minister
King
Council of Minister

5. Antiquity
• Ratnin-
• The Yajurveda samhitas and the Brahman literature mention in several places some functionaries known as ratnins,
who possibly formed the king's council. The ratnins consisted of royal relatives, departmental heads and courtiers.
• Queens
• Yuvaraaj
• Priest
Departmental heads:
 Senani- Senani is the commander-in-chief,
 Suta- Suta was the commander of the chariot corps of the royal army, he might also have acted as the honorary
charioteer to the king.
 Gramani- Gramani in a small state may have been the prominent among the village headmen of the kingdom.
 Sangrahita- Related to colleting something (Tax or Goods).
 Bhagadhuk- Bhdgadhuk was the tax-collector and sangrahita was the treasurer.
The ratnins who belonged to the class of courtiers:
• Kshatta- Kshatta was the Royal Chamberlain.
• Akshavapa- Akshavapa was the companion of the king at the game table.
• Paldgala-Paldgala was the king's bosom companion. It is probable that he was the ambassador of the neighboring
state.
• Govikartana- Wealth in the Vedic age consisted of cows, and govikartana was an officer of higher rank who is
connected with the royal herd of cattle.
• Taksha was the carpenter and
• Rathakdra was the chariot-maker.
The status of the ratnins was high. Samiti was a powerful body in the Vedic age. Ratnins were popular in the Vedic
age. They left a more effective body to execute their functions which was the council of ministers.

6. • Mani,
• Talwaar,
• Dhanush,
• Bhala,
• Ratna,
• Pataka,
• Kosh
• Rani,
• Purohit,
• Senani,
• Suta,
• Mantri,
• Ghode,
• Hathi
Living Inanimate
In Vayu
Purna
Ratnin

7. Mantripariṣad
Inner
Outer
1. Chief Minister,
2. Chief Priest,
3. Military Commander,
4. Crown Prince

8. Numbers
Depend on the size and necessity of the state
•Manu- 7 to 8
•Mahabharat- 8
•Arthashashtra- 4 Manava Sect (12), Baharspatya Sect (16),
Aushanas Sect (20)
•Nitivakyaamrit- 3, 5, or 7
•Ramayana- 3 to 4
•Shukraniti- 10= Purohit, Pratinidhi, Pradhan,
Sachiva, Mantri, Prangavivaak, Pandit, Sumantra,
Amaatya, Doot.

9. Duties
1. पुिोधा (पुिोहित)- उसे मन्त्र, कममकाण्ड, रयी, छह वेदाांग, धनुवेद, नीतिववद्या आदद का
ज्ञािा होना चादहए। उसे काम, क्रोध, लोभ मोह से रदहि, इन्द्न्त्ियजयी और धार्ममक जीवन
में रि होना चादहए।
2. प्रतततनधध- प्रतितनधध को इिना योग्य होना चादहऐ कक वह देश, काल व स्थान क
े सन्त्दभम
में करने योग्य एवां न करने योग्य कायो की पहचान रखिा हो।
3. प्रधान- जो शासनक
े सभी कायों का सामान्त्य तनरीक्षण करने की योग्यिा रखिा है।
4. सधचव- जो अपने कायों की दृन्द्टि से युद्ध मन्त्री है। वह सेना एवां इसक
े कायों का समस्ि
ज्ञान रखिा है।
5. मरिी - न्द्जसे आधुतनक दृन्द्टि से ववदेश मन्त्री या परराटर मन्त्री कह सकिे है।
6. प्राड्वववाक- जो प्रधान न्त्यायाधीश है एवां न्त्याय ववभाग का प्रमुख राजनीतिक अधधकारी भी
है। उसे शास्रोक्ि एवां लोक प्रचर्लि आचार का ज्ञािा होना चादहए ।
7. पन्त्डित-धमम क
े ित्व का ज्ञािा होना चादहए ।
8. सुमंि- ववत्त मन्त्री या कोषाध्यक्ष कहा जा सकिा है, न्द्जसे आय-व्यय की सम्पूणम जानकारी
होनी चादहए।
9. अमात्र्- देश िथा आलेखों का ज्ञािा होना चादहए। वह राज्य में न्द्स्थि नगरों, ग्रामों,
जांगलों की भूर्म की माप का दहसाब रखिा है और इनसे होने वाली आय का भी वववरण
रखिा है।
10. दूत- वह षाड्गुण्यमन्त्र का ज्ञािा, अच्छा वक्िा, तनभीक, देश व काल की न्द्स्थति को
समझने वाला होना चादहए।

10. Minister and Amatya
1. Minister belongs to core or inner group of the council
And Amatya belongs to the outer group for suggestions
2. The number of Amatyas was large in comparison to
Minister
3. Amatya were lower in position to Minister
4. Salary of the Minister were higher in comparison to
Amatya
5. During Satvahana and Pallava the regional rulers and
head of the departments were called Amatya.

11. Eligibility
• Kautilya, Manu, Shukra, and other law-givers prescribe testing a minister
thoroughly before appointing him.
•शुक्र ने तनयुन्द्क्ि सम्बांधी वववरण में अग्रर्लखखि छः प्रकार की योग्यिा पर बल ददया है -
1. आनुवाांर्शकिा
2. नैतिकिा
3. शारीररक क्षमिा
4. बौद्धधक क्षमिा
5. राजभन्द्क्ि
6. नीतितनपुणिा
अल्िेकर क
े अनुसार, ‘‘शुक्र का मि है कक क
े वल भोजन व वववाह क
े अवसरों पर ही जाति की पूछिाछ की जानी
चादहए, मन्द्न्त्रपररषद में तनयुन्द्क्ि क
े समय नहीां। शुक्र को शूि क
े अधीन सैन्त्य ववभाग रखने में कोई आपवत्त नहीां है,
यदद वह योग्य एवां राजभक्ि हो।‘‘ वास्िव में शुक्र का मि प्राचीन भारि की उदार परम्परा क
े अनुरूप है। शान्द्न्त्िपवम
ने मन्द्न्त्रपररषद में प्रथम िीन वणों क
े अलावा िीन योग्य शूिों की तनयुन्द्क्ि का स्पटि उल्लेख ककया है।
Duties
Prevent the king from going on the wrong way of direction – Arthashastra , Kamandaka
Whoever should worry about the sole state-work, should not be tempted to do the king's mind and should also
be respected by the king, Kathasaritsagar.

12. https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/179201
https://hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%80%E0%A
4%A4%E0%A4%BF