Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c19.s4.27

c19.s4.27

A remarkable feature of the Scythian Age was the wide prevalence of the system of *Dvairājya* or Diarchy in Northern and Western India and *Yauvarājya* (rule of a crown-prince) in N. W. India and the Far South. Under both these forms of government the sovereign's brother, son, grandson, or nephew had an important share in the administration as co-ruler or subordinate colleague. In a *Dvairājya* or Diarchy the rulers appear to have been of equal status, but in a *Yauvarājya* (rule of a crown-prince) the reigning prince was apparently a vicegerent. As instances of *Dvairājya* may be mentioned the cases of Lysias and Antialkidas, Agathokleia and Strato I, Strato I and Strato II, Spalirises and Azes, Hagāna and Hagāmasha, Gondophernes and Gad, Gondophernes and Abdagases, Chashṭana and Rudradāman, Kanishka II and Huvishka etc., etc. Among ruling *Yavarājas* may be mentioned Kharaosta and the Pallava *Yuva-Mahārājas* Śiva-Skanda-varman, Vijaya-Buddha-varman¹ and Vishṇu-gopa of Palakkada.