Hvad var funktionerne af sabha og samiti i den vediske tidsalder?
Vedic period
De tidlige vediske ariere var organiseret i stammer snarere end kongeriger. Høvdingen af en stamme blev kaldt en rajan. Rajanens autonomi blev begrænset af stammesamrådene kaldet sabha og samiti. De to organer var til dels ansvarlige for stammens forvaltning. Rajanen kunne ikke komme på tronen uden deres godkendelse. Forskellen mellem de to organer er ikke klar. Arthur Llewellyn Basham, en kendt historiker og indolog, teoretiserer, at sabha var et møde for de store mænd i stammen, mens samiti var et møde for alle frie stammefolk. Nogle stammer havde ingen arvelige høvdinge og blev direkte styret af stammeforsamlingerne. Rajan havde en rudimentær domstol med deltagelse af hofmænd (sabhasad) og høvdinge for septs (gramani). Rajanens hovedansvar var at beskytte stammen. Han blev bistået af flere funktionærer, herunder purohita (kapellan), senani (hærchef), dutas (udsendinge) og spash (spioner). Purohita udførte ceremonier og besværgelser for at opnå succes i krig og velstand i fred.
Vedic period
Early Vedic Aryans were organised into tribes rather than kingdoms. The chief of a tribe was called a rajan. The autonomy of the rajan was restricted by the tribal councils called sabha and samiti. The two bodies were, in part, responsible for the governance of the tribe. The rajan could not accede to the throne without their approval. The distinction between the two bodies is not clear. Arthur Llewellyn Basham, a noted historian and indologist, theorises that sabha was a meeting of great men in the tribe, whereas, samiti was a meeting of all free tribesmen. Some tribes had no hereditary chiefs and were directly governed by the tribal councils. Rajan had a rudimentary court which was attended by courtiers (sabhasad) and chiefs of septs (gramani). The main responsibility of the rajan was to protect the tribe. He was aided by several functionaries, including the purohita (chaplain), the senani (army chief), dutas (envoys) and spash (spies). Purohita performed ceremonies and spells for success in war and prosperity in peace.
Vedic period