Hindu Administrative Institutions c12.s3.114

c12.s3.114

From this one may infer that there were organized bands of marauders and highway robbers who led a reckless life by using unlicensed arms and by assault. The *Vyavahāramayūkha* puts entirely a different construction on the term *vrāta*. According to it, it was an institution of cognates, relatives and kinsmen.³ Some of the *vrāta* groups mentioned in ancient literature are *kāpotapākya*, *vraihimatya*, *kañjāyanya*, *bṛadhnāyanya*.⁴