Kings of the Age of Mantras
"The people that inhabited the Punjab and the upper Gangetic valley in the age of the Mantras were not roving hordes of pastoral tribes, but lived in an organized society.…
From: 2000 B.C.E. To: 500 C.E.
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
“Kings in the Age of Mantras,” from Life in Ancient India by P.T. Srinivas Iyengar, 1913.
The people that inhabited the Punjab and the upper Gangetic valley in the age of the Mantras were not roving hordes of pastoral tribes, but lived in an organized society. They were ruled by kings, many of whom are mentioned by name; the most interesting are Ikshvaku and S’antanu, and the doughty warriors Sudas and Trasadasyu, frequently referred to.
Kings resided in forts supported by a “thousand columns” and provided with a “thousand” doors, where they sat on a throne “of iron columns, decked with gold” and held court arrayed in golden mail and shining robes, surrounded by ministers, spies, heralds proclaiming their glory, courtiers extolling them, and messengers to convey their commands.
Some of these phrases occur in descriptions of Gods, but we may be sure that the life of the Gods was modelled on that of mortal kings; as the Satapatha Brahmanam naively puts it, “the course pursued among the Gods is in accordance with that pursued among men.”
Kings attended assemblies clad in robes of state. Some form of carpet was spread under their seats. They sat surrounded by noble friends, chief of whom were skilful chariot-builders, ingenious workers in metals (artisans not being in those days a despised caste,) king-makers, charioteers and leaders of hosts.
Public questions were discussed in assemblies, but the will of the king of course prevailed, as Indra’s will is said to be “like a sovran in assembly.” On state occasions at other times too, bards went in the train of the kings praising them. Kings were autocratic and their anger was dreaded. “Let the fury of kings fall on others, not on me,” prays a rishi.
Royal palaces were built of wood and more or less primitive adumbrations of the wooden palace of Chandragupta at Pataliputra in the fourth century B.C. Fire is said to rend “forts as age consumes a garment.” But stone castles are mentioned, as well as stone walls; these forts, though called satabhuji, i.e. having hundred concentric walls, could not have been elaborate structures, for there are now no relics of stone architecture of any age earlier than the fifth century B.C. The roof of palaces were supported by wooden pillars on which were carved figures of unrobed girls. Iron castles are referred to and were probably stockades of sal wood, faced with iron.
Kings rode on elephants, well decorated, or chariots decked with mother-of-pearl and gold. The king’s charioteer was the master of the horse and was an intimate friend of his employer. The charioteer sat on the right of the chariot, and the king on a chair in the left: when the king fought from a chariot, he stood on the left.
Kings married many wives, the principal consort, called Mahishi, ruled the royal household. Agni, shining on high, rich in light, from whom riches and strength come to the worshipper, is compared to a king’s Mahishi. The word vadhru, emasculated men, occurs in R.V.i.33.6 and royal wives were probably guarded by them. One hymn speaks of Rodasi “moving in seclusion, like a man’s wife,” and this has been interpreted by Sayana to refer to women in a harem.
Kings maintained royal priests and gave them lavish gifts.
Kings were elected by the people, i.e. the man chosen from the royal family by the “king-makers,” was acclaimed by the assembled clansmen. He was then consecrated. Standing on a tiger-skin, a “tiger on a tiger-skin,” the priest sprinkled on him water consecrated with mantras and recited prayers for the king’s long life and prosperity. The king then gave the abhivarta oblation to the Gods, to reign without a rival as sovereign of his tribes.
Kings levied “abundant tribute” from the rich; so much so that Agni is said “to eat the woods as a king eats the rich.” These tributes must have been heavy because the heaven-world is described as a place where no tribute is paid by the weak to the mighty.
Kings of various grades are mentioned in the hymns, the rajaka being inferior to araja, and svarat, independent king and samrat, paramount king being superior to him. Below the rajaka or petty prince was the town-king.
Iyengar, P.T. Srinivas. Life in Ancient India. Srinivasa Varadachari, 1912.
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