The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c9.s3.13.3

c9.s3.13.3

Râma deserved the kingdom as Daśaratha did.” If he, a younger prince, accepted the offer, he would bring disgrace on the race of Ikṣvâku.¹ On meeting Râma at long last in the forest, Bharata says, “ Thou art the first-born ; and meet it is that thou shouldst get thyself installed. Râma answers that “ the monarch is competent to make me stay in the woods clad in black deer skin, as to establish me in the monarchy.” ² To this view of the case Bharata’s reply is significant. “ Deprived of the kingdom in consequence of my posteriority in point of birth, what doth regard for morality avail me ? . . . . even this morality has been established with reference to us, *viz.*, that the eldest son of the king existing, a younger one cannot be the king.³ Elsewhere, too, in the Râmâyaṇa the same rule is established. In the Bâlakâṇḍa, on the death of Sagara the people make his son Amśuman king. It will be observed that in such transactions popular opinion and feeling counted for something. Nevertheless it could sometimes be disregarded. In the episode of Râma’s proposed installation it is to be noted that the people’s will, which Daśaratha had so sedulously endeavoured to ascertain and which still favoured Râma’s installation, eventually goes unheeded. Sometimes, of course, a popular agitation could redress some grievous wrong.