Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c7.115

c7.115

In this type of political community the ruler was not hereditary, but "chosen by the *viś*." ³ In the passages quoted above, the word *viś* occurs as many as seventeen times in connection with choosing the king or being the king of the *viś*, whereas in one passage ⁴ we have the expression *janānām rājā*. Here *jana* probably stands for *viś*. *Samiti*, as we have seen, only occurs once in connection with appointing or creating (*kalpatām*) the king. Even in this verse, this meaning is emphasized only by Jayaswal, whereas Whitney takes *kalpatām* in the sense of "suiting," and translates it as "let the gathering (*samiti*) here suit (*kḷp*) thee (who art) fixed”.¹ If taken in this light, the *samiti* has nothing to do with the choice of the king, though the fact that it existed is above suspicion. Moreover, this passage might well apply to another type of tribal government with kings and *samiti* ruling jointly.²