[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) › c7.83 # Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c7.83 Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c7.83 - **Language:** English ### [c7.83](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c7.83) Jayaswal is not only a keen supporter of the election theory, but also insists that the \*samiti\* elected the king. He says that "the king was elected by the people assembled in the \*samiti\*. The people assembled are said to elect him to rulership unanimously. The \*samiti\* appoints him. He is asked to hold the state."⁴ Out of the nine passages employed in support of his statement, only one has \*dhruvāya te samitiḥ kalpatāmiha\*, which he renders "and for firmness the assembly here creates (appoints) you".⁵ The word \*viś\*, in connection with a word for choosing or desiring (\*vṛṇānā\* and \*vāñchantu\*), is found as many as six times in the same passages.⁶ In fact, there is hardly any hymn quoted above which does not refer to the \*viś\* as either wanting the king or choosing him. Even in the hymn in which the \*samiti\* occurs, we also have the term \*viś\* in the opening verse.⁷ On this basis we firmly reject the role of the \*samiti\* in establishing a man in kingship. - [Previous: c7.82](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c7.82) - [Next: c7.84](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c7.84) - [Up: c7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c7) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c7.83](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.sharma-1968.c7.83) · Pramāṇa