2023-02-16 11:11:40 by ambuda-bot
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Political Concepts in Ancient India
some political programme was the Sabha. This
term also occurs in the Rgveda, as in the passage,
sarve nandanti yaśasāgatena sabhasahena sakhyā
sakhāyaḥ (X.71.10) (All the friends rejoice in the
company of a friend, come back successful from a
Sabha). Thus, we see that the Rgveda 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 Prajapati: sabhā ca ma samiti-
ścāvatāṁ prajapaterduhitarau samvidāne (Athar-
vaveda, 7.13) (May the Samiti and the Sabhā, the
two daughters of Prajapati, concurrently aid me).
The Yajurveda has two broad divisions, viz.,
the White Yajurveda (Suklayajurveda) and the
Black Yajurveda (Krsna Yajurveda). The latter
one has three recensions (Sakhas), viz., Taittiriya
Samhita, Maitrāyani Samhita and the Katha or
(Kathaka)-Samhita. 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
Political Concepts in Ancient India
some political programme was the Sabha. This
term also occurs in the Rgveda, as in the passage,
sarve nandanti yaśasāgatena sabhasahena sakhyā
sakhāyaḥ (X.71.10) (All the friends rejoice in the
company of a friend, come back successful from a
Sabha). Thus, we see that the Rgveda 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 Prajapati: sabhā ca ma samiti-
ścāvatāṁ prajapaterduhitarau samvidāne (Athar-
vaveda, 7.13) (May the Samiti and the Sabhā, the
two daughters of Prajapati, concurrently aid me).
The Yajurveda has two broad divisions, viz.,
the White Yajurveda (Suklayajurveda) and the
Black Yajurveda (Krsna Yajurveda). The latter
one has three recensions (Sakhas), viz., Taittiriya
Samhita, Maitrāyani Samhita and the Katha or
(Kathaka)-Samhita. 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
Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN