Hindu Polity: A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times c40.121

c40.121

The general term is Śreṇi as well as Pūga, the difference between the two being not very clear.¹ Now it appears that originally the Naigama of the capital was the mother of the Paura Association. The Paura grew out or around the Naigama (§ 201). In the Jātakas and Pāli Canon Naigama (Negama) stands for Paura.² Modern translators have translated it by 'town'. It really refers to 'the town' or Capital. Hindu commentators on law books equate Naigama with Paura.³ In the Pāli books Naigama comes with Jānapada as in Sanskrit books Paura comes with Jānapada. The connection between the City guild of merchants and the City Corporation was so intimate that both came to be regarded as identical. This is the reason why the mercantile interest is predominant in the Paura.⁴ The Rāmāyaṇa mentions the Naigama always with the Paura and treats them as connected though distinct.⁵ The Naigama had its assembly hall and office—*sabhā*, where it held its meetings as the Paura-Jānapadas held theirs in their sabhās and on their squares.⁶ We find a donor, a nobleman, recording at the Nigama-Sabhā his investments with certain guilds, śreṇis, of the town Govardhana, the interest to go to certain charities in perpetuity. M. Senart translates the passage in question thus—"all this has been proclaimed (and) registered at "the town's hall, at the record office, according to custom".¹ Naigama thus was connected with, and probably over, the Śreṇis or guilds of the City.