[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) › c6.s2.1 # Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c6.s2.1 Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c6.s2.1 - **Language:** English ### [c6.s2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c6.s2.1) While the early Vedic texts support the existence of different kinds of non-monarchical governments, they fail to register the technical term by which these republican or quasi-republican political communities could be described constitutionally. The word \*gaṇa\*, which denoted a republic in the post-Vedic period, occurs for the first time in the Vedic texts,¹ chiefly in association with the Maruts and Ādityas, and has been interpreted as a "technical word for the republic" by Professor R. S. Sharma.² In most of the cases the \*gaṇas\* of the Maruts and Ādityas are connected with war and the spoils obtained by fighting were distributed equally among those who formed the \*gaṇa\*.³ Most authorities derive the word from the root \*gaṇ\*, meaning "to count" or "to reckon," and explain that the noun \*gaṇa\* literally means "a flock" or a "troop."¹ Keeping in view the connection of the Vedic \*gaṇa\* with war and spoils in the Vedic texts, it may appropriately be rendered as "troop" or "multitude," and the interpretation of "republic" is not warranted.² If the \*gaṇa\* had the technical sense of a republican state, it would be expected to occur in association with the four forms of non-monarchical government which we discuss a little later. As in the \*Ṛg Veda\* the word has no implicit or explicit sense of a type of government, and as it does not figure in association with different types of aristocracies, we differ from Professor Sharma's interpretation. - [Previous: c6.s1.54](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c6.s1.54) - [Next: c6.s2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c6.s2.2) - [Up: c6.s2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c6.s2) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c6.s2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c6.s2.1) · Pramāṇa