Hindu Polity: A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times c51.3

c51.3

¹ The *Rājya* is qualified with *pārameshṭhya*, apparently to distinguish it as *the rājya*, the *rājya* superior, *i.e.*, monarchy: "सर्वेषां राज्ञां श्रेष्ठा अतिष्ठां परमतां गच्छे यम्. It is also possible that *Pārameshṭhya* was some sort of distinct monarchical constitution (cf. राजानं राजपितरं परमेष्ठिनं पारमेष्ठ्यम्. Aitareya Br. VIII. 12). I remember having seen a passage in the Mahā-Bhārata where some king is styled *Parameshṭhin*. The rare *Svāvalya* (VIII. 12) if technical, was probably a reminiscence of the discredited 'autocracy' which the oath in the Mahā-Bhārata specifically excludes from Hindu kingship.