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State and Government in Ancient India c12.s9: The Position of the King Before c. 500 B. C.

State and Government in Ancient India c12.s9

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English

The Position of the King Before c. 500 B. C.

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We shall conclude this chapter by making a brief survey of the position of the king in the different periods of the ancient history.

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The position, powers and privileges of the king have varied from age to age. When in the prehistoric period, the king was only the seniormost member in the council of peers, when he often owed his position to an election, either real or formal, when there was a popular council (*samiti*) to actively supervise his administration, his position was often insecure and powers limited. He was often expelled from the throne and prayers were offered on his behalf that he may not have such a fate, as was actually the case with some kings like Dushṭartu, Dīrghaśravas and Sindhukshit.. It appears that taxation was also voluntary and the powerful nobles and patriarchs would give only occasional presents to the king, rather than regular taxes.¹ One great favour that India is supposed to confer at the time of coronation is to compel the subjects to pay the taxes regularly to the king.²

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¹ यत्र शुल्को न क्रियते अबलेन बलीयसे । *A. V.* III. 29.3

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² अथा ते इन्द्र केवलीर्विशो बलिहृतस्करत् । X. 173.6

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The state in the pre-Vedic and early Vedic times was tribal and small, and a popular assembly used to function at the capital; so the king's powers were not extensive. In the course of time, when the state became territorial in character and extensive in size, the powers of the patriarchal barons like the *kulapatis* and *viśpatis* declined, as also those of the popular *samitis*, which could not meet frequently or regularly. These circumstances gradually tended to increase the powers and privileges of the king. Even in the *Rigveda* we have references to *ekarāṭs* (sole rulers), *adhirāṭs* (great rulers) and *samrāṭs* (emperors).¹ It is no doubt true that some of these epithets are applied to gods, but there can be no doubt that their counterparts existed on the earth as well.

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¹ *R. V.*, II. 28. 1; VII 37. 3; X. 128. 9; I. 25. 10

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Considerable pomp and prestige surrounded the king in the later Vedic period. The panegyrics about the different kings show that they were rich and prosperous; probably they owned big herds of cattle and extensive areas of land and also received taxes from their subjects, which were tending to become more and more regular and obligatory. The *Atharvaveda* describes the king as lord of riches, the chief of the people and the most prominent among the warriors. It also prays that the king may have power, lustre and control over the nation.² In one ritual the Brāhmaṇa, the Kshatriya, the Vaiśya and the Śūdra each loses a cow to the king³; this shows that the king's sway was being regarded as encompassing all the classes of the population. His power, therefore, was getting more extensive: naturally his wrath also was being dreaded more and more.⁴

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² IV. 22

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³ *T. S.*, I 8. 16; *T. Br.*. I 7. 10

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⁴ अन्यत्र राज्ञामभियातु मन्युः । *A. V.*, VI. 40. 2

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The king was pre-eminently the protector of his peoples⁵ both against internal disturbances and foreign invasions. He was the upholder of law and order, of customs and traditions.

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⁵ गोपा जनस्य । *R. V.*, III. 43. 5

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He presided over the court at the capital,¹ which dealt with serious offences, though ordinary cases were disposed of by popular councils. He carried on the administration with the help of a number of officers like the generals (*senānīs*), *grāmaṇīs* (village headmen), *kshattris*, *saṁgrahītṛis* and *sūtras*; the precise functions of the last three are not known at present.

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¹ तस्माद्राजन्येनध्यक्षेण वैश्यं हंति । *Kāṭhaka Saṁhitā* 28. 4

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