Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c10.s7.29

c10.s7.29

In the Gupta period the regions around Mithilā and Vesāli were both called jointly Tirabhukti,⁷ the modern Tirhut. The *Purāṇas* preserve memories of the Videhas; the *Viṣṇu*,⁸ the *Bhāgavata*⁹ and the *Bhaviṣyat Purāṇas*¹⁰ give legendary accounts of Videha and Mithilā, their foundation and kings, etc.¹¹ After Grierson's work on Indian languages the older name Mithilā is becoming more and more popular.¹² The increasing importance of Maithili and the vigorous attitude of the Indians after independence in 1947 has greatly contributed to the revival of old traditions connected with Videha and Mithilā, along with India's past in general. Thus, it would seem that the descendants of Videgha Māthava of the *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa* continue living in the region under a different name. The strange mixture of the monarchical and republican traditions in the ancient texts, however, still forbids a clear and accurate account of their republican or quasi-republican institutions at the time of the Buddha.¹³