[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [Hindu Administrative Institutions](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1929) › c7.s2.t1 # Hindu Administrative Institutions c7.s2.t1: Origin in War Hindu Administrative Institutions c7.s2.t1 - **Language:** English ### Origin in War ### [c7.s2.t1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1929.c7.s2.t1.1) The second theory of the origin of kingship is the Vedic theory of origin in war.² To quote Mr. Jayaswal there was a contest between the \*devas\* and the \*asuras\*. The latter were victorious. The \*devas\* attributed their defeat to the fact that they had no king while the \*asuras\* had a king. Hence they resolved to elect one. All agreed. Jayaswal comments, ‘if it had a historical reference it would refer to the tribal stage of the Aryans in India and it would suggest that the institution of kingship was borrowed from the Dravidians.’³ This seems to point to a period of culture when people were still leading a tribal life and had not an organized form of government. The text of the \*Aitarēya\* \*Brāhmaṇa\* suggests the theory that kingship originated in war. It may provide authority for the theory of election as well. ### [c7.s2.t1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1929.c7.s2.t1.2) ² \*Aitarēya Brāhmaṇa\*, i. 14. देवासुरा वा एषु लोकेषु समयतंत..........तांस्ततोऽसुरा अजयन् . . . . . देवा अब्रुवन्नराजतया वै नोजयंति राजानं करवामहा इति तथेति ॥. ### [c7.s2.t1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1929.c7.s2.t1.3) ³ \*Hindu Polity\*, pt. ii, pp. 4-5. ## Cites (1) - [Aitareyabrāhmaṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.brahmana.aitreya) — Mahidāsa Aitareya, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1929.c7.s2.t1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1929.c7.s2.t1) · Pramāṇa