Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c7.254

c7.254

The *sabhāpati*, or the president of the council, is referred to both in the *Vājasaneyī* and the *Taittirīya Saṁhitās*,⁸ but we do not know for how long he was appointed. The pride shown by the friends of a debater might indicate a successful candidate for the presidency: "All friends rejoice in the friend who comes in triumph having conquered in the council."⁹ "He is their blame-averter, foodprovider, prepared is he and fit for deeds of vigour.”¹ This may well refer to a successful candidate for the presidency, but it seems more probable that he was often successful in debates and was a good orator. Probably all the important members of the council, the assessors (*sabhāsads*) and the president (*sabhāpati*) held their offices for life. They decided upon questions of war and peace, they administered justice, and they performed religious rites on behalf of the political community.