Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c10.s7.11

c10.s7.11

We have no other evidence to show the details of their relationship even with the members of the League, but one would expect occasional disputes among them, as there were among the Licchavis and the Mallas, the Sakyas and Koliyas. The Jaina evidence does not make it clear whether the Videhans were represented in the Vajjian council, for it mentions only the nine Licchavis and nine Mallas.⁶ But it may be pointed out here that the Jaina texts were compiled mainly in western India and that the compilers had no accurate knowledge of northeastern Indian geography. They seem to have confused the names of the confederating republics. It appears that the Vajjian Council consisted of 18, yet we are not certain how many members came from each confederate, though it seems probable that the Licchavis contributed nine and the remaining nine came from the other confederates, the Mallas, the Videhas and the Nāyas. Even if the Videhan republic was represented at the Council of the Confederacy, however they did not have complete control over their own affairs but were jealously guarded and supervised from the Licchavian and Vajjian centre of Vesālī.