Public Administration in Ancient India c10.5

c10.5

¹ Mahābhārata, Sānti Parva. ² Mahābhārata, Sānti Parva, Sec. 68, sls. 8-31. ³ Prof. Macdonell says, “Zimmer is of opinion that while the Vedic monarchy was sometimes hereditary, as is indeed shown by several cases where the descent can be traced, yet in others the monarchy was elective, though it is not clear whether the selection by the people was between the members of the royal family only or extended to members of all the noble clans. It must, however, be admitted that the evidence of the elective monarchy is not strong. As Geldner argues, all the passages cited can be regarded not as choice by the cantons (viś), but as acceptance by the subjects (viś): this seems the more probable sense. Of course, this is no proof that the monarchy was not sometimes elective; the practice of selecting one member of the family to the exclusion of another less qualified is exemplified by the legend in Yāska of the Kuru brothers, Devāpi and Santanu.” Vedic Index, Vol. II. p. 211.