Local Government in Ancient India c14.23

c14.23

Among other minor and sundry kinds of assemblies we may notice that of the Bhaṭṭas of Rājāśraya-caturvedi-maṅgalam referred to in no. 479 of 1908 (*Madras Epigraphy*, 1908-9) which records that this learned assembly laid down on the authority of Gautama, Baudhāyana, Kauṭilya, and Yājñavalkya the profession to be followed by the *anuloma* sect called the Rathakāras. This epigraph thus shows that questions of castes and professions were settled at the beginning of the thirteenth century A. D. by learned assemblies on the authority of past teachers. No. 49 of 1887 records an instance of Brāhmans laying down social laws for their own caste. It refers to a meeting, in the presence of the God Gopīnāth, of all classes of Brāhmans who settle the sacred law that they should conclude marriages by *kanyādāna*, gift of the bride, and not after receiving gold. Violation of this rule was made punishable by the society by excommunication and also by the king. Thus marriage was to be regarded as a sacrament, and not a commercial transaction. Secondly, we may instance the composite assembly of various groups of people, including three classes of Pallis, four or six subdivisions of professionals, artisans, and other castes as referred to in no. 368 of 1914 (*Madras Epigraphy*, 1914–15).