The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c10.62

c10.62

Part of the royal splendour was the harem. When a king and queen of Benares determine to marry their daughter only to a monogamous prince, the ambassadors of a suitor, the king of Mithilâ remark, "Ours is a great kingdom, the city of Mithilâ covers seven leagues and the measure of the whole kingdom is 300 leagues. Such a king should have 16,000 wives at the least . . ." (IV, 316 et seq.) A king of Videha is said to have possessed a harem of 16,000 wives (VI, 220). So, too, Daśaratha, king of Kośala (IV, 124 et seq.) The high traditional number may be taken to imply that almost every king had a large seraglio. The harem had its own 'politics.' A king takes a flower-selling girl into the harem, raises her to the position of chief queen, then disgraces her and finally rehabilitates her (III, 21). Another king raised the helpmate of his troubles to be the chief queen but otherwise neglected her. The Bodhisatta had to exert himself to bring about a thorough reconciliation (III, 68, also 107-108). The rivalries and jealousies of co-wives were proverbial (V, 21). The affairs of the harem sometimes had serious repercussions on affairs of state. In the extremely interesting Jâtaka version of Râma's tale, the queen-consort of Daśaratha is succeeded on her death by another who, in response to the offer of a boon, requests the supersession of the two elder princes by her own son. Informed by soothsayers that he has still twelve years to live, the old king tells Râma and Lakkhana, "My sons, if you live here, some mischief may befall you. Go to some neighbouring kingdom, or to the woodland, and when my body is burnt, then return and inherit the kingdom which belongs to your family . . ." They and their sister Sîtâ go to the Himâlayas. On the king's demise in 9 years, the queen-consort desires that the umbrella should be raised over her son Bharata. But the courtiers did not allow it, saying, 'the lords of the umbrella are dwelling in the forest.' Accompanied by a complete host of the four arms, Bharata himself proceeded to the forest with the fine insignia of royalty for Râma. When Râma refused to return until the completion of the full twelve years, the rest came back but for the next three years the slippers of Râma were supposed to rule the kingdom. The ministers placed them on the royal throne when they judged a cause (IV, 124 et seq.). More unsavoury situations were sometimes created. A prince-viceroy, falsely incriminated by a jilted step-mother, is sentenced by the enraged king to be taken to the thieves' cliff and beheaded. The nobles, the ministers, and many harem ladies protest. But the king is adamant (IV, 191). The harem was strongly guarded (IV, 105). But nothing could prevent occasional criminal liaison. Guilty of misconduct in the harem, a minister is told by the king, "O blinded by folly! you have sinned, and are not worthy to dwell in my kingdom; take your substance and your wife and family and go hence." The minister migrates to Kosala and becomes the confidential adviser of the Kosala king. He instigates border raids and a regular invasion against his old master (I, 262 et seq.). Several such incidents are recorded in the Jâtakas (II, 125-26, 401; III, 13, 168 et seq., 337 et seq). In another story, a royal servant becomes a paramour of the queen, murders the king and buries him. The prince, however, does the same to the murderer and amply revenges the wrong (III, 419 et seq.). There is one instance of an Uparâjan intriguing in the harem of the king, his own brother (IV, 79).