India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c12.s5.5

c12.s5.5

*RĀJANYA AS THE RULING CASTE IN A GAṆA*—The term *Rājanya* denoted the Kshatriya descendants of a *rājā*, whereas the others were called *rājana* (IV.1.137. For example, in the Andhaka-Vṛishṇi *Saṅgha*, only some members bore the title *rājanya*, as the descendants of Śvāphalaka, Chaitraka, Śini and Vāsudeva, whereas others like the Dvaipyas (inhabitants of the islands near the sea-coast) and Haimāyanas did not have that status although they too belonged to that *Saṅgha* (VI.2.34; *Andhaka-Vṛishṇayaḥ ete na tu rājanyāḥ*). The *Kāśikā* defines *rājanya* as *abhishikta-vaṁśya* Kshatriyas, *i.e.*, leaders of families consecrated to rulership. It appears from this that not all the members of a *Saṅgha* were entitled to exercise political power, which was the privilege of only the governing class. It appears that the descendants of the pioneer Kshatriyas who had settled on land and founded the *Janapada* state, treated political sovereignty as their privilege which was transmitted in their families from generation to generation. In spite of the growth of population in a *Janapada*, the centre of power was not altered and the main authority continued to vest in Kshatriya hands. These Kshatriyas in a *Saṅgha* bore the title *rājā* which was applied to the head of each family who represented his *kula* in the *Saṅgha* assembly. The constitutional practice in the Sabhāparva (*gṛihele gṛihe hi rājānaḥ*, 14.2) had reference to this feature of Saṅgha polity, the opposite of which was a *Samrāṭ* government (*samrāj-śabdo hi kṛitsnabhāk*). Kauṭilya speaks of *Saṅghas* as *rāja-śabd-opajīvinaḥ* (*Arth.*, XI.1, p. 378), *i.e.*, 'those whose members bore the title *rājā*. The Lichchhavis are said to have comprised 7,707 *rājans* living in Vesāli, and it is stated in the *Lalita-vistara* that each one of them thought: 'I am king, I am king,' (*Ekaika eva manyate ahaṁ rājā ahaṁ-rājeti*). Pāṇini mentions the Vṛijis, of whose confederation the Lichchhavis formed part. There is a reference in the *Jātakas* to the Lichchhavi rulers consecrated to rulership by sprinkling sacred water on them (*cf. Vesāli-nagare Gaṇa-rāja-kulānām abhiseka-maṅgala-pokkharaṇī*, *Jāt.*, IV.148). A similar custom prevailed amongst the *abhishikta-vaṁśya rājanyas* of the Andhaka-Vrishṇis and other *Saṅghas*, which justified their designation *abhishikhta vaṁśya*.