Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c7.349

c7.349

This hymn also indicates that among the ruling nobles there was a struggle for supreme power. Such tendencies brought about another stage in the development of these aristocracies and they soon became monarchies. The speaker wishes to be the bull among his equals (*samānānām*) and rivals (*sapatnānām*) who formed the ruling-college and often met in the assembly (*samiti*). He has distinguished himself in war and now wishes to utilize his military success to gain political power over his fellow nobles. He seeks their support in war and needs their skill in peace-time, probably to assist him in running the government. The word *virāj* probably refers here to the head of the college of nobles. The speaker wishes to become a *virāj*, implying thereby a monarch in his own right like the kings of hereditary monarchies. It is likely that these tribal governments had a chief ruler who was the most powerful and most respected and feared in the college of rulers and the *samiti*. As chief of the council of nobles he might, in the long run, insist on their appointing his son to succeed him.