Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c7.347

c7.347

This is a very significant hymn. Here one of the nobles expects the assembly members to pay him respect as he has great power, and in the third verse he prays to the Lord of Speech, Vācaspati, that his rivals may speak to him humbly. Moreover, in the first verse he prays, "make me a bull among my peers, make me my rivals' conqueror. Make me slayer of my foes, a sovereign ruler, lord of kine."⁴ The hymn is intended for the subduing of rival nobles and the speaker wishes to be a *virāj*, a king of kings(?).