Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c4.t6.19

c4.t6.19

ONE OF THE PRIMARY functions of the State, as we saw before while dealing with the King as an administrator, was the administration of justice. To settle disputes between man and man, and between man and society, must have been the first and foremost duty of those who were chosen to be the heads of society during the earlier stages of its progress. Election or regular succession of a king as the case may be, was preceded by a thoughtful consideration by the people whether, firstly, the man on whom the mantle of sovereignty was to be offered was endowed with the necessary physical fitness and qualities of a leader, and secondly, whether he had the qualifications and the mentality of a careful and competent judge.¹ If he had not these, he was set aside.