[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) › c7.479 # Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c7.479 Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c7.479 - **Language:** English ### [c7.479](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c7.479) According to Roth, the sense of \*vidatha\* is primarily “order”, then “the concrete body which gives the orders”, then the “assembly” for secular or religious ends or for war.⁵ This interpretation is vague and so far as we know \*vidatha\* is never used in the sense of “order” or giver of orders.⁶ Oldenberg once thought that the main idea of the \*vidatha\* was “ordinance” (from \*vi-dhā\*, dispose, ordain) and thence “sacrifice”.⁷ There are various views about the derivation of the word, and its origin from \*vid\*, “to know”, is most probable, but it has been taken to stand for “sacrifice” in some passages of the \*Ṛg Veda\*⁸ and the \*Atharva Veda\*.⁹ Ludwig thought that the root idea of the \*vidatha\* was an “assembly”, especially of the Maghavans and the Brāhmaṇas.¹⁰ In some of the verses the word occurs in the sense of a mere gathering or assemblage of people, and has no political connotation.¹¹ Geldner held that the word primarily meant “knowledge”, “wisdom”, “priestly-lore”, then “sacrifice”, and “spiritual authority”.¹² This view also appears to be only partially right, though more convincing than the others. - [Previous: c7.478](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c7.478) - [Next: c7.480](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c7.480) - [Up: c7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c7) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c7.479](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c7.479) · Pramāṇa