Hindu Administrative Institutions c8.s4.8

c8.s4.8

The Vedic *Sabhā* was originally composed of aristrocrats, Brahmans and Maghavans. Considering the then state of society which was tribal in character it is too much to expect anything of a democratic preponderance. The *Rig Veda Samhita* has yet another term² *Sujāta* or of good birth in support of our statement. There is a passage in the *Maitrāyaṇi Samhita*³ which throws interesting light on the question whether members of the fair sex were eligible for membership. The passage cited shows their ineligibility. Appropriate to this the Tamil classic *Purapporul Veṇbāmālai* has a reference.⁴ It is said here that when the enemy set the city to fire there was such a bewildering confusion that women rushed to the assembly hall inadvertantly. And this indicates that women even in ancient Tamil Nādu were not admitted to the assembly.