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Hindu Administrative Institutions c7.s3: (ii) Titles and Gradations of Monarchy

Hindu Administrative Institutions c7.s3

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(ii) Titles and Gradations of Monarchy

c7.s3.1

In the *Rig Veda Saṃhita* we meet with the following titles of kingly power: *rājan*, *samrāj*, *adhirāj*, *ekarāj* and *virāj*. The *Amarakośa* explains the term *samrāt* as one³ who has performed the *Rājasūya* sacrifice, who is the overlord of a *maṇḍala*, and who has under his control, feudatory and mandatory ruling princes. The *Śukranīti* calls him a *samrāt* whose income ranges from one to ten crores of silver karṣas.¹ Sāmrajya is a title higher than that of a rājan. It often occurs in Vedic texts² and connotes distinctly a grade superior to that of an ordinary king. The adhirāja is also another superior title found in the texts.³ Professors Macdonell and Keith interpret the term as overlord. This overlordship must be undoubtedly over kings and princes of the ordinary rank. The learned professors further comment⁴ that they could not bring themselves to believe that a real ‘over king’ existed taking the political conditions of the times when great states were still in formation. This is based on a mere assumption in the absence of definite data. The assumption may be right or wrong but could hardly be accepted without authority. This ‘overkingship’ or ‘overlordship’ was, however, a factor to be reckoned with in the Vedic period. The states in themselves may be small and the extent of the territory known may again be limited. But still among the known world of their days, one state might easily have aspired to an adhirājya, another sāmrajya and the third remain content with a rājya. Or it may even, as N. N. Law suggests, signify degrees of power or rank among the kings created by the victories and defeats in battles in which they engaged themselves frequently.⁵ Another early Vedic title of the king is ekarāja.⁶ This term is a significant one and denotes literally an only king, sole sovereign. It demonstrates that there is no second ruler over a particular circle. This is further made clear from a passage in the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa⁷ where it is mentioned ‘a ruler whose domains extend all over the earth from sea to sea’. Aśoka was an *ekarāja* according to the *Mahāvaṃsa*. Weber who had occasion to explain this expression gives its meaning as a king over a *maṇḍala*.¹ In the *Brāhmaṇas* we meet with the same and similar titles like the *mahārājya*, *rājādhirājya*, *parameṣṭhya*, *ādhipatya*, *svāvaśya*, *atiṣṭhā*. Some more are *bhoja*, *svarāja*, *virāja*. Of these the *mahārāja* signifies a ruler over a large kingdom.² These numerous references to the term warrant the inference that the conception of a great kingdom was realized even in very early times. The *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa* has the following: ‘Before the slaying of Vṛtra he was Indra it is true. But after slaying Vṛtra he became Mahendra even as a *Rājan* or king becomes a *Mahārāja* after obtaining the victory.’³ That the later idea of large states is clearly anticipated in the epoch of the *Brāhmaṇas* is manifest. The term *rājādhirāja* indicates a paramount sovereign. The other titles mentioned are further examined by Professors Macdonell and Keith who are of opinion that these epithets of sovereigns embody a sound tradition.⁴

c7.s3.2

³ येनेष्टं राजसूयेन मण्डलस्येश्वरश्रयः । शास्ति यश्चाज्ञया राज्ञः स सम्राडथ राजकम् ॥ (ii. 9, ll. 5 and 6.)

c7.s3.3

¹ i. 184-7.

c7.s3.4

² R. V., iii. 55. 7; iv. 21. 2; vi. 27. 8; viii. 19. 32.

c7.s3.5

³ R. V., x. 128. 9; A. V., vi. 98 1 : ix. 10. 24.

c7.s3.6

⁴ Vedic Index, vol. i, pp. 19-20.

c7.s3.7

⁵ Aspects of Polity, p. 13.

c7.s3.8

⁶ R. V., viii. 37. 3; A. V. iii. 4. 1.

c7.s3.9

⁷ viii. 15.

c7.s3.10

¹ *Über Die Konigsweihe, den Rājasuya* in the *Abhandl. d. Königlich Prussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften Zu Berlin*, 1893, p. 141, n. 2, quoted by N. N. Law.

c7.s3.11

² *Ait. Br.*, vii. 34-9; *Kaus. Br.*, v. 5: *Śata. Br.*, i. 6. 4, 21 and ii. 5. 4, 9.

c7.s3.12

³ Prof. Eggeling, i. 6. 4, 21; *S.B.E.*, vol. xii, p. 182.

c7.s3.13

⁴ *Vedic Index* vol. ii, p. 433.

c7.s3.14

In this connection are worth noting other titles of sovereignty. *Virāj* is a king who possesses great and distinguishing qualities. Sāyaṇāchārya comments on the term *vairājyam* thus:

c7.s3.15

इतरेभ्यो भूपतिभ्यो वैशिष्ट्यं.

c7.s3.16

In the *Rig Veda Saṃhita* Indra is a *samrāṭ*, and, *Varuṇa*, a *svarāṭ*.⁵ It is contended that the titles *parameṣṭhyam*, *rājyam*, *mahārājyam* and *svāvaśyam* are of the heaven world. But a close study of the inscriptions demonstrates that earthly monarchs bore most of these titles. Hence they were not titles exclusively applicable to monarchical rulers of the other world only. These once signified qualities and came later on to mean gradations depending on the annual income of the state or a king. For the *Sukranīti*, generally regarded to be a later work on Polity, has the following interesting gradation according to incomes. The titles of kings in order are *Sāmanta*, 1 to 3 lakhs, *Maṇḍalika* 4 to 10 lakhs, *Rājan* 10 to 20 lakhs, *Mahārāja* 21 to 50 lakhs, *Svarāj* 51 to 100 lakhs, *Samrāj* 1 to 10 crores, *Virāj* 11 to 50 crores, and *Sārvabhauma* above 51 crores.¹

c7.s3.17

⁵ vii. 82. 2.

c7.s3.18

¹ > सामन्तस् नृपः प्रोक्तो यावलक्षत्रयावधि ।

c7.s3.19

N. N. Law who has referred to this mentions also another later work *Varadātantra* from the *Śabdakalpadruma* where again a scale of income is given. Other epithets occurring in the inscriptions are: (1) *chakravartin* (the great emperor), (2) *paramēśvara* (the great lord), (3) *paramabhaṭṭāraka* (the most supreme), (4) *mahā-*

c7.s3.20

तदूर्ध्वं दशलक्षान्तो नृपो मण्डलिकस्मृतः ॥
तदूर्ध्वं तु भवेद्राजा यावत्विंशति लक्षकः ।
पञ्चाशलक्षपर्यन्तो महाराजः प्रकीर्तितः ॥
ततस्तु कोटिपर्यन्तो स्वराट् सम्राट् ततःपरं ।
दशकोटिमितो यावद्विराट् तु तदनंतरं ॥
पञ्चाशत्कोटिपर्यन्तस्सार्वभौमततःपरं । (*Sukra*, i. 184-7.)

c7.s3.21

*rājādhirāja* (emperor of emperors), (5) *sārvabhauma* (the world-emperor), (6) *akhaṇḍabhūmipa* (the lord of all earth), (7) *rāja-rāja* (king of kings), (8) *viśvarāja* (the king of the circle), (9) *caturanteśa* (the lord of four quarters).

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