Page 40 - SST Class 06

5 5 5

Kingdoms, Kings and

an Early Republic

HOW SOME MEN BECAME RULERS? means king of the land where the Janas have
During early civilization, the people or Jana settled or king of a kingdom.
chose the kings or Rajas. These kings had king- VARNAS
doms or territories under their rule. However, Varna is a fundamental concept underlying the
around 3000 years ago, the way Rajas were Hindu society. It is not just about the way how
chosen started going through a change. Men society is structured, but also it has become a
aspiring to be Rajas started performing various part of a man’s identity. The modern day class
rituals and offering big sacrifices. Let us learn and caste conflict in India traces its root to the
about Mahajanapadas. Varna system. Thus, it becomes very important

According to this ritual, a horse was set loose to to understand its origin. Like any branch of
wander freely. The Raja’s men guarded it. If the knowledge, the essential requirement of History
horse wandered into other kingdoms and the is the pursuit of truth.
rajas of those kingdoms stopped it, then they had During the later Vedic period, the people had
to fight. However, if they allowed the horse to settled in the region, drained by Ganga, Yamuna
pass, then they accepted that the raja performing and their tributaries. Whereas, during the other
the sacrifice was stronger than them. three Vedas, namely, Samaveda, Yajurveda and
Once the horse was back after the fights, if any, a Atharvaveda had also been composed. There are
sacrifice was organised honouring and recognis- various other texts and literally sources that
ing the raja as being the most powerful king. belong to this period.
Specially trained priests performed this sacrifice Some of these books were composed by priests
with an invitation to all other rajas. and these described the rituals in detail. They
In this ritual, the raja who was being revered was also contained the rules that govern the society.
given a special seat – either a throne or a tiger’s Earlier, we have stated that in the Rigvedic
skin. His wives and sons also had to perform period, it was easy to describe people by their
some minor rituals. Every raja had a charioteer occupations. With the extension of Vedic civilisa-
who witnessed his exploits in battle and chanted tion, this practice continued to be followed. There
tales of his glory. were priests, warriors, herders, farmers, traders,
All other rajas who were invited had to bring gifts crafts persons, labourers, fishing folk and forest
for him. The ordinary people, known as the vish people. Some were rich, some poor. Generally,
and the vaishya (with the exclusion of shudras), the crafts person, fishing folk, farmers, hunters
also brought gifts. This ritual transformed the and gatherers were very poor.
rajas from being ‘Raja of Janas’ to being ‘Raja of Within a few centuries, the Brahmins, with a view
Janapadas’. In simpler words, Raja of Janas to enhance their influence and prestige, divided
means king of the people and Raja of Janapadas the people on the basis of Varnas. This Varna

Social Science-6 40