Hindu Polity: A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times c23.14

c23.14

As remarked (IV. 2. 53.) above, the constitution of the Vedic period was monarchical. Megasthenes also, as we have seen, notes the Hindu tradition current in the fourth century B. C. that after monarchy came the republican form. All these data indicate that the **republican system is post-Vedic and artificial**, that it is post-tribal and philosophic. Take also the names of technical constitutions: *Vairājya*, literally '**kingless-(system)**', *Svārājya*, '**self-ruling (system)**,' *Bhaujya*, '**temporary rulership (system)**.' These names are not derived from tribes; it was not that the tribal names gave names to forms of government. The names of constitutions are artificial, philosophic. The tradition that there was first monarchy is supported by the Vedas, the tradition that monarchy was rejected and democratic forms of government set up is supported by the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa.