Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c7.547

c7.547

In the light of the above data it seems that all the endings of these hymns indicate is the individual style of the poet. The 23 hymns ending with the wish of the singers to be able to boast with heroes in the congregation indicate no more than the need for strong warriors in the settlement for whose members the hymns were composed. There is nothing here to show that the *vidatha* had any military function as such, but no doubt its members, like the mediaeval bards, prayed for the success of the tribal army (*senā*) which was distinct from the *vidatha*, and associated with the *sabhā* and *samiti*.