[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C.](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968) › c13.s2.92 # Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c13.s2.92 Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c13.s2.92 - **Language:** English ### [c13.s2.92](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c13.s2.92) That the administration of the Sakyan republic was in the hands of an assembly or Sakya-\*gaṇa\* with a chosen single head, is evident from a number of references to their conducting public business in their \*santhāgāra\*.⁶ In the \*Dīgha Nikāya\* there is a dialogue between a Brāhmaṇa named Ambaṭṭha and the Buddha. The subject of this \*Sutta\* is the conduct and behaviour of the Sakyas. "Once Gotama," says Ambaṭṭha, "I had to go to Kapilavatthu on some business or other of Pokkharasādi's, and went into the Sakyas' Congress-Hall. Now at that time there were a number of Sakyas, old and young, seated in the hall on grand seats, making merry and joking together, nudging one another with their fingers; and for a truth, methinks, it was I myself that was the subject of their jokes; and not one of them even offered me a seat."¹ The \*Bhaddasāla Jātaka\*, as we have noted above, informs us that King Pasenadi's proposal of marriage with a Sakya girl was discussed in the assembly of the Sakyas.² The \*Kuṇāla Jātaka\* speaks of Sakyan \*bhojakās\*,³ "headmen," literally "enjoyers"—probably of rights on land or as landholders. The \*bhojakās\* might have been those Sakyans who took an active part in colonizing the area and hence had a right to the land like the barons of mediaeval Europe. We also hear of \*amaccās\* or councillors, and \*uparājās\* or viceroys⁴ who, along with serfs, labourers and attendants, sallied forth to fight against the Koliyas.⁵ - [Previous: c13.s2.91](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c13.s2.91) - [Next: c13.s2.93](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c13.s2.93) - [Up: c13.s2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c13.s2) ## Cites (4) - [Jātaka](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.jataka.465) — Pāli - [Jātakatthavaṇṇanā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.jataka!jatakatthavannana*cst.12.2.p1) — Pāli - [Ambaṭṭhasutta](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.digha.3.1.12.1) — Pāli - [Lalitavistarā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.jaina.sveta.mula.3.lalitavistara) — Haribhadra Sūri, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c13.s2.92](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c13.s2.92) · Pramāṇa