Vedic Literature - Political System of Vedic Period

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Political System of Vedic Period:-

Political Conditions

  • The term ā€˜Rajyaā€™ has been mentioned once in the Rig Veda, but the Rig-Vedic poĀ­litical condition cannot be reĀ­garded as the condition of the
  • state in real terms, the conĀ­cept of territory was comĀ­pletely absent and war used to take place for cows i.e.. Gavisti.
  • The kings were mainly in term of tribal chieftains.
  • He was the holder of esĀ­tablished order and moral rule called Dhratavtara.
  • Rig Vedic political condiĀ­tions were a kind of tribal chieftainship with some eleĀ­ments of democracy.
  • The tribal heads used to adopt divine theory to legitimise their position
  • In Rig Ved Puru king Tradasyu claimed himself as ā€˜Indraā€™ or ā€˜Varunaā€™ .
  • Tribal head assisted by Purohit and Grarnini.
  • King advised by Sabha and Samities.
  • The king probably was bonded to accept these advices.
  • Samiti could not do any work without the consent of the Sabha (Check and BalĀ­ance formula of working)

Features of Kingship

  • Hereditary succession;
  • No election;
  • Assisted by civil adminĀ­istration - to collect taxes for the army.
  • Women were given equal status in this period because of less population.
  • The Sabha and Samiti were the powerful instituĀ­tions which considerably ended the sovereignty of the king.
  • In Atharveda, Sabha and Samiti are referred to as the two daughters of ā€˜Prajapatiā€™ .
  • The Sabha was denoted as the Assembly Hall ā€” used for serious political work, social ceremonies and deĀ­bates women had equal rights to participate in the proceedings of the Sabha.
  • In Rig Veda, a woman called ā€˜Sabhapatiā€™ attended the Sabha.
  • The sabha had great powers. It used to take its own decisions for performing soĀ­cial, political and administraĀ­tive function.
  • It also had the power to render justice.
  • Samiti has appeared in those porĀ­tions of Rig Veda, which are considered to be the latest.
  • Samiti must have assumed importance only towards the end of Rig Vedic Period. Therefore, Samiti does not seem to be older than the Sabha.
  • The distinction between the Sabha and Samiti cannot be made precisely.
  • Only difference was that while Sabha performed judiĀ­cial functions, the Samiti has no such power.

Vidhatha: Earliest Assembly - Kin Based Community

  • In Rig Veda Sabha menĀ­tioned 8 times, Samiti menĀ­tioned 9 times and Vidatha mentioned 122 times.
  • In Atharava Veda Sabha has been mentioned 17 times, samiti mentioned 13 times, Vidatha 22 times.
  • Vidatha has been menĀ­tioned in Vajasaneyi Samhita 10 times, Brahmans 21 times, Taitterrya Aryanaka once.
  • The root word of Vidatha is vid, which means knowlĀ­edge
  • According to a passage of Rig Veda - members sumĀ­moned in the Vidatha are inĀ­structed to be present on the occasion of distribution of whatever is produced daily by Savitr. Agni has been deĀ­scribed as the liberal disĀ­tributor of produces in the Vidatha.
  • Vidhata may be regarded as a military institution.
  • Vidhata was occupied a place in religion; according to Sayana, vidhata was a
  • kind of Yajna (sacrifice) .

Gana

  • In Rig Veda Gana have been mentioned 46 times and 9 times in Atharava Veda.
  • The term Gana means Jana, which means count.
  • Ganas are divided into Kulas or families, so also the commercial ganas are diĀ­vided into Kulas, as are known from the seals discovĀ­ered at Bhita and Basarh.
  • Videha and Vaisali would appear as the two main exĀ­amples of monarchies transĀ­formed into republics.
  • In Vedic texts Maruts are mentioned as the Ganas. Maruts were sons of Rudra, numbering either 49 or 63 diĀ­vided into seven groups each consisting of nine.
  • The leader of Gana, at one place known as Ganasya Raja, is generally called Ganapati, Indra, Marut, Brhaspati and Brahmanaspati. At least in one reference in the Rig Veda, the leader of the Gana is given the title Raj an. In the Aitareya Brahmana the king is invoked as Gananampati. Brahm-anaspati, who at sevĀ­eral places is called Ganapati.

Parishad

  • Sayana explains the terms Gavyam Parisadantah as Gosangham, and so Griffith translates it as a ā€œherd of cattleā€ .
  • In Yajur Veda the epithet parisadya applied to Agni may point to his presence in the parisad.
  • It has been shown that Ahirbudhnya, a form of Rudra, is called Parisadaya, but in the Mahabharata, Skanda, the son of Siva, is associated with the Parisadas at numberous places. Siva is also described as Gana-dhyaksa, it is also called Parisadpriya.
  • The evidence that it functioned as a royal council is provided by Paraskara Grhyasutras, wherein; the parisad is represented as conĀ­ducting debate under the chairmanship of its Isana (President) .