Early Vedic Period: King, Administration and Assemblies

The Aryans lived in tiny communities throughout the Rig-Vedic period. The family, or Kula, served as the foundation of their political and social organisation. The family was led by the eldest male member, who maintained strict discipline over all members of the household.

Officials – King

• A number of offi­cials supported the monarch. Purohit, Senani, and Gramina are the most prominent among them
• Purohit’s position was held with high regard and esteem
• Normally, this position was passed down through the family
• Purohit served as the king’s chief adviser and temporal guru (spiritual instructor)
• He fought beside the monarch in battles, praying to God for his protection and success
• Vishwamitra and Vasishta are two important Purohita mentioned in the Rig-Veda

Popular Assemblies

• The monarch had tremendous abilities, but he couldn’t employ them at will
• The two popular assemblies, Sabha and Samiti, limited his power
• Though little is certain regarding these two assemblies, it is widely assumed that they were the most popular

Emergence of a King

• Legends regarding the coronation of one deity as king of all other gods are a source of inspiration for Vedic notions about the foundation of the office of monarch
• Indra, Agni, Soma, Yama, and Varua are all addressed as “King” in the g Veda, according to legend
• Indeed, in the Old Veda, royalty is usually represented by gods acting as rulers
• The sovereignty of the ruler had been thoroughly established by the time the Mnava Dharmastra was written
• The Dharmastras and Dharmastras believe that it is the king’s specific responsibility to defend, punish, and preserve dharma for his subjects
• In the Dharma literature, the basis of the king’s power is a point of contention. Some dharma authors make it seem as if the king’s power is completely based on his loyalty to and preservation of the dharma
• His edicts have just the force of law behind them; his legal judgements should be founded solely on what is written in the śāstras, not on his personal will and authority

Administration

• The word “king” is not related with any god in the Rig Veda
• In addition, the monarch is not seen making any public sacrifices for the state
• The Vedic King appears to have been the hereditary head of a council of vitpatis, and his status was originally based on his military leadership abilities
• The king is characterised as the people’s protector. His job description does not include adjudication
• The sabha and samiti were primarily concerned with conflict resolution. In both civil and criminal trials, the notion of self-help had a lot of application
• In Rig Vedic times, women were also present at the sabha

Different Assemblies

“Sabha” and “Samiti” were the names of the particular location and the meeting. Samiti meetings were held on a regular basis, and administrative issues were discussed openly.

• The ‘Samiti’ was a meeting of all the tribe’s inhabitants (Visha).  People used to congregate there to address different issues and problems, play, eat and drink
• The ‘Sabha,’ on the other hand, was made up of a selected group of people who addressed sensitive issues. Executing decisions were made here, such as whether to go to war or enter into a treaty, to create laws regarding weights-measures, to help the king in judicial matters, etc

Since the king was chosen by both the Sabha and the Samiti, both assemblies had power over the king. Other assemblies included Vidhata (for war booty distribution) and Gana (Highest Advisory Body).

Ministry

The king was supported by Ministers or Mantris to ensure smooth governance. It was made up of:

• Purohit (priest): He was the king’s most trusted advisor. He was tasked with providing political and religious advice to the king
• Senapati (commander): He was the military’s commander
• Duta (spy): The spies were tasked to ensure that knowledge flowed smoothly
• Gramini (village-headman): Given the king’s restricted control area, the Gramini were also appointed to the king’s ministry

Judiciary:

• With the assistance of his ministry and Samiti, the King used to resolve judicial matters
• The law was derived from Vedic literature, practice, and the experiences of elders
• The crimes involved robbery, banditry, forgery, cattle lifting, and indebtedness – all of which were subjected to severe capital punishments

Conclusion

The Rigveda is by far the oldest of the Vedic writings now extant, and it has numerous Indo-Iranian features, both in language and substance, that are absent from other Vedic texts. As a result, it’s impossible to pinpoint the exact start of the “Rigvedic period,” as it blends into the century before it. Also, because of the semi-nomadic character of the civilization portrayed, it is difficult to pinpoint its location, and it represents tribes that were practically on the move in its early stages.

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