Hindu Polity: A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times c13.2

c13.2

§ 29. Pāṇini gives most valuable information about Hindu Republics of his time which I take to be about 500 B.C.¹ He gives several rules about the formation of words connected with Saṁghas. The large number of the rules impresses one with the importance which the contemporaries of Pāṇini attached to the existing republics. Like any other important, orthodox institution the Republics engaged the attention of the orthodox grammarians. Further, Pāṇini gives an indication as to the part of the country and area covered by the republics in his days.