State and Government in Ancient India c21.5

c21.5

The status and prestige of the different states differed according to their resources and the leadership of their rulers. Titles like *svarāṭ*, *ekarāṭ*, *samrāṭ* and *adhirāṭ*, that were taken by the different rulers, indicate clearly a difference in status, but what exactly its nature was it is difficult to determine at present. Some of these rulers, e.g. *samrāṭs*, were probably enjoying a much higher status than the rest, but whether they were ruling as emperors over feudatories, we do not know. It is likely that the weaker states might have paid a tribute to the stronger ones.