Did you Know?

Did you know that espionage was a highly organised pillar of governance in the Mauryan Empire? The Arthashastra, attributed to Kautilya, recommends that spies in disguise — posing as ascetics, traders, or householders — be deployed across the kingdom to detect even the faintest signs of dissent. It’s Kantakashodhana (“removal of thorns”) section emphasises protecting society from internal threats such as criminals, corrupt traders, and disorder. This surveillance system was complemented by officials mentioned in Ashokan inscriptions, such as pativedakas (informants) and pulisani (higher-ranking intelligence officers), who kept the ruler informed about public opinion. The state also monitored frontier and forest regions — home to independent tribes like the atavikas —using spies disguised as hermits and by building fortified outposts. Together, these measures reveal that intelligence-gathering in ancient India was not incidental but a carefully structured mechanism of state security.