Political Concepts in Ancient India /22

2
 
Political Concesome pts in Ancient India
 
someolitical politicalrogramme was the Sabhā. This
term also occurs in the Ṛgveda, as in the programme was the Sassage,
sarve nandanti yaśasāgatena sabha. This
term also occurs in the Rgveda, as in the passage,
sarve nandanti yaśasāgatena sabhaāsahena sakhyā

sakhāyaḥ (X.71.10) (All the friends rejoice in the

company of a friend, come back successful from a

Sabhaā). Thus, we see that the Rgveda is the earliest
Ṛgveda is the earliest
original source where we may find casual references

to certain political ideas and institutions of ancient

India.
 

 
Other Early Original Sources
 

 
Another early original source for the compila-

tion of political terms is the Atharvaveda. An

interesting passage, which we may cite here, is that

where the already mentioned institutions, Sabhā

and Samiti are described as two sisters, being the

two daughters of Prajaāpati: sabhā ca ma samiti-

ścāvatāṁ prajaāpaterduhitarau samvidāne (Athar-

vaveda, 7.13) (May the Samiti and the Sabhā, the

two daughters of Prajaāpati, concurrently aid me).
 

 
The Yajurveda has two broad divisions, viz.,

the White Yajurveda (SŚuklayajurveda) and the

Black Yajurveda (Krsnṛṣṇa Yajurveda). The latter

one has three recensions (SaŚākhaās), viz., Taittiriya
īya
Samhitaī, Maitrāyaniī Samhitaā and the Katha or
ṭha or
(Katṭhaka)-Samhitaṁhitā. All these three recensions

are very important for our study because of con-

taining lists of the Ratnins or high functionaries

of the King of the Vedic age.
 

 
The Brāhmaṇa Literature as an Early Source
 

 
The Brāhmaṇa literature is still richer in respect

of socio-cultural data concerning ancient Indian
 
Digitized by
 
Google
 
Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN