Hindu Administrative Institutions c12.s3.69

c12.s3.69

It may be shown, however, that the *gaṇa* organization of the *Upaniṣads* was more economic than political in character and it may be remarked that its economic character played itself out in course of time as a political institution. In this latter aspect we see it mentioned in the *Dharmaśāstras* and the *Arthaśāstras*. The expression here is no more confined to a particular community, but refers unmistakably to associations of common people. Thus in the *Nitivākyamṛta* of Somadeva there occurs the phrase गणपुरश्चारिणः and the word *gaṇa* is commented on as the assembly of peoples (जनसमूह) and the leader of the *gaṇa* was known as *purachārin*,—the *purośu* of the Tamil literature.