Adnyapatra

Adnyapatra, also pronounced as ‘Ajnapatra’, is a royal edict on the principles of

1. Introduction (Part I) : A brief history of Pre-Shivaji times as well as Shivaji’s times
2. Introduction (Part II) : A brief history of Post-Shivaji Times

Second Section

1. King – Duties & Responsibilities, Administration, Appointments
2. Ministers – Eligibility, Roles
3. Merchants – Importance, Growth
4. Vatandars (Estate Holders) – Facts, Preservation, discontinuation
5. Vrittis (Land Gifts) and Inams (Gifts) – Disadvantages, Ways and Means
6. Forts – Protection, Construction & Reconstruction
7. Navy – Importance, Precautions

Select Principles

• One State, One Rule.
• All other objectives are fulfilled once functions of the state are smoothen.
• The king should always worry about his repute.
• The people to be appointed in different departments and at the royal kitchens, reservoirs, warehouses etc. should be trustworthy and selfless.
• Colleagues should neither be underestimated nor insulted in public.
• Advisors should be wise and intelligent.
• Administration should not be single handed.
• Many should not suffer for one’s pleasure.
• Interaction with spies should be very often.
• The suspect should be suspended unless and until doubts are cleared.
• Inefficient officers should be sidetracked and relieved skillfully.
• Punishment should be inevitable in the event of a crime or injustice.
• Reduction in Revenue weakens the power.
• Try for more after proper management of what already got.
• Ministers are pillars of the state structure.
• Delegate them full powers and make them full responsible.
• A Mirasdar or Vatandar may be appointed on a fort not located in his own area.
• Beware, however, from British Merchants and never give them land to permanently settle.
• Protecting yourself is as important as thrashing the enemy
• The one who possesses Navy shall possess the sea.
• Be careful during war, be more careful during surrender by the enemy.

Comparison

• Most of the administrative aspects given in ‘Adnyapatra’ are similar to those mentioned in
  Kautilya’s Arthashastra
  and in some cases the former can be well regarded as extension of the later.
• Mestakas compiled by
  Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri
  during 13th Century, deal mainly with the procedure whereas ‘Adnyapatra’ mainly deals with principles of the state policy.
• In
  Utopia Sir Thomas More presents an imaginary world with certain ideals and principles which can not be considered realistic. In Adnyapatra, however, Ramchandra Pant Amatya being a contemporary and close colleague of Shivaji
  , seems to have copied historically true contents after the manner of Shivaji proving them to be most realistic and genuine.

According to historians Sir Jadunath Sarkar, V.B.Kolte and S.N.Banhatti, the authorship of Adnyapatra is denied to Ramchandra Pant Amatya on the following grounds :

• There is no evidence supporting the authorship of Ramchandra Pant Amatya in the text itself.
• The beginning and end of this script contains matter praising Ramchandra Pant Amatya and hence it is argued that no sensible author would write in such eulogistic terms about himself.
• Ramchandra Pant Amatya’s own behavior in respect of Vatans is inconsistent with the anti-land grant policy enunciated in the Adnyapatra.

Refutation

These charges have, however, been refuted by historians

• Adnyapatra was written in the traditional form of Bakhar where the Author doesn’t take credit of his own works but presents it as if the king is ordering him to write or act.
• The honorific titles appended to Ramchandra Pant Amatya in the beginning and at the end of the script could also be found to have prefixed to the names of many ordinary and incompetent officers in the historical papers. It was not a matter of praise but a style or normal practice of those days.
• Regarding Vatans and Vritties,
  Mughals
  had already offered similar land gifts. Supposing that Ramchandra Pant himself was greedy of such Vatans, he can at the most be considered as a person of loose character but his authorship can’t positively be challenged.
• Lastly,
  Rajaram and Shivaji II
  ) and who had the ripe experience expressed in the Adnyapatra. None other than him could have written so meticulously about the Navy, and capitalistic European merchants as none else had direct touch with coastal affairs.

• ‘Adnyapatra’ (Marathi) Edited by R.C.Dhere and P.P.Joshi
• ‘Ramchandra Pant Amatya’s Adnyapatra’ (Marathi / English) by Dr.A.R.Kulkarni
• ‘The Ajna-Patra’ or Royal Edict’ (English) by Prof.S.V.Puntambekar
• 'The House of Shivaji' (English) by Sir Jadunath Sarkar

Citations