Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c9.s4.6
Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c9.s4.6
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c9.s4.6
The preamble to the *Ekapanna-Jātaka* states that “in that city [Vesālī] there were always 7,707 kings [*rājās*] to govern the kingdom, and a like number of viceroys [*uparājās*], generals [*senāpatis*] and treasurers [*bhaṇḍāgārikas*].”¹ The preamble to the *Cullakāliṅga-Jātaka* refers to the same tradition when it says that “the Licchavis of the ruling family to the number of 7,707 had their abode at Vesāli. And all of them were given to argument and disputation.”² But the *Mahāvastu* presents yet another picture. This text states that there were “twice 84,000 Licchavi *rājās* residing within the city of Vaiśālī”.³