Ashok had a strong system of spies to monitor the activities of his official. write a note on it. how did it help him rule his vast kingdom?
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Mauryan kings used spies to keep the administration in check. They were present all over the kingdom.
Chanakya describes the spies in his Arthashastra:
• Fraudulent students or Kápatikachhátra: intellectuals who had a way with words and provoked debates to understand who had ill motives towards the rulers and kingdom.
• Ascetics or Udásthitas: the spies were divided into units with each unit having a chief who was provided with resources and lands so that they could carry out a simple activities to avoid suspicion.
• Farmers or Grihapaitika: these poor farmers of the kingdom were spies with their own network of informers who gave them information. The informants were farmers, land laborers and the landowners.
• Unsuccesful merchants or Vaidehaka: they were good spies because they could travel and communicate with others and so could gain information very easily especially among the merchants.
• Religious Leaders: ashrams were built outside urban areas and promoted political ideology. It attracted the people and taught them to respect only the ruler other than local influencers.
Smart and honest males and females were recruited in this department. Cipher writing, code words, secret language, etc. were used and the services of courier pigeons were enlisted. The spies were “the ears and eyes of the king”. Also in very critical matters, there were spies who spied on other spies as well.
The informants would tell strengths and weaknesses of the local people. The religious leader would then predict calamity, accidents, mysterious deaths (assassinations planned by the state). He would even predict government awards and honors to specific person.
Chanakya describes the spies in his Arthashastra:
• Fraudulent students or Kápatikachhátra: intellectuals who had a way with words and provoked debates to understand who had ill motives towards the rulers and kingdom.
• Ascetics or Udásthitas: the spies were divided into units with each unit having a chief who was provided with resources and lands so that they could carry out a simple activities to avoid suspicion.
• Farmers or Grihapaitika: these poor farmers of the kingdom were spies with their own network of informers who gave them information. The informants were farmers, land laborers and the landowners.
• Unsuccesful merchants or Vaidehaka: they were good spies because they could travel and communicate with others and so could gain information very easily especially among the merchants.
• Religious Leaders: ashrams were built outside urban areas and promoted political ideology. It attracted the people and taught them to respect only the ruler other than local influencers.
Smart and honest males and females were recruited in this department. Cipher writing, code words, secret language, etc. were used and the services of courier pigeons were enlisted. The spies were “the ears and eyes of the king”. Also in very critical matters, there were spies who spied on other spies as well.
The informants would tell strengths and weaknesses of the local people. The religious leader would then predict calamity, accidents, mysterious deaths (assassinations planned by the state). He would even predict government awards and honors to specific person.
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