State and Government in Ancient India c13.46

c13.46

⁴ Sāyaṇa's explanation of वैराज्य as इतरेभ्यो भूपतिभ्यः श्रेष्ठयम् is due to his ignorance of a democratic state. The *Mbh.* XII. 67. 54 describes a *virāṭ* as one of the synonyms of the word king. But just as we can explain *virāṭ* as a *viśesheṇa rājā*, we can as well explain *Vairājya* state as one, which is devoid of (*vi*) the king. The *Vedic Index* explains *Vairājya* as a form of royal authority, but if in that state, the whole people, and not the kings only, were consecrated to the rulership, is it not reasonable to assume that the sovereignty in the *Vairājya* state was vested not in one individual, but in a large class, if not in the whole population?