State and Government in Ancient India c19.s1.12

c19.s1.12

The Pūga court of Yājñavalkya consisted of members belonging to different castes and professions, but staying in the same village or town. If the *sabhā* or the village assembly of the Vedic period was occasionally settling the village disputes, the *sabhā* court would be the earlier prototype of the Pūga court. *Grāmyavādi* of the *Taittirīya-saṁhitā* would be probably a member of that court. The Grāmavṛiddha court of the *Arthaśāstra* would also be the forerunner of the Pūga court. Pūga court later became known as Gota court in Mahārāshṭra, as we have already pointed out in Chapter XI. In Karanāṭak it was known as Dharmaśāsana during the 17th century A. D.; the Mahājanas (elders) of the village and the twelve village servants were represented upon it and it used to decide private disputes, its decisions being enforced by the State as a matter of course.¹ The popular village court thus played a prominent part almost throughout the long course of Indian history.