Later Vedic Political Organisation
Ancient History › Vedic Age · Topic 4.6
In later Vedic times tribal assemblies weakened (the vidatha vanished, women were barred from the sabha) while royal power grew with larger territorial kingdoms (rashtra, rajya, janapada). Kingship became hereditary, supported by rajasuya, ashvamedha and vajapeya rituals, tribute (bali) turned compulsory, and officers like the sangrihitri and the purohita aided the raja, but there was still no standing army or regular taxation.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Vedic Age
At a Glance
- Assemblies Vidatha gone; sabha and samiti controlled by elites
- Territory Rashtra, rajya, janapada
- Rituals Rajasuya, ashvamedha, vajapeya
- Revenue Bali became tribute
- Army Still no standing army
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Ancient History: Vedic Age
Where Does It Fit?
This is the sixth topic of the category on the Vedic age. The previous topic covered expansion and the economy of the later Vedic phase, and this one covers its polity. The next topic covers social organisation. Previous topic: Later Vedic Phase – Expansion, Iron and Agriculture. Their modern descendants appear in Gram Sabha (Article 243A) and Three-Tier Structure: Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad.
What Changed in the Assemblies and the Territory?
In short: tribal assemblies lost importance and kingship became larger, territorial and hereditary.
In later Vedic times the Rig Vedic tribal assemblies lost importance and royal power increased at their cost. The vidatha disappeared altogether. The sabha and samiti continued but changed in character: they were controlled by chiefs and rich nobles, and women were no longer allowed to sit in the sabha, now dominated by warriors and brahmanas. The formation of larger kingdoms strengthened the king. Tribal authority became territorial, as dominant tribes gave their names to territories that other tribes might inhabit; Panchala was first the name of a people and then of a region. The term rashtra, indicating territory, first arose, and rajya, sovereign power, indicated control of people. Janapadas, territorial kingdoms under kshatriya rulers, began, and wars were fought not only for cattle but for territory.
| Rig Vedic | Later Vedic |
|---|---|
| Jana, tribal loyalty | Territorial names, rashtra and janapada |
| Vidatha, sabha, samiti with women | Vidatha gone; elite-controlled sabha and samiti; women excluded |
| Voluntary bali | Tribute forcibly collected |
| Chief of the tribe | Raja with growing power |
How Was the King Chosen and Strengthened?
Traces of election of the king appear in later Vedic texts: the individual with the best physical and other attributes, a tribal who pioneered settlements, showed skill in farming and fought bravely, was elected chief. He received voluntary presents called bali from the vis, which gradually became forcibly collected tributes. The ruler tried to make the right to receive presents hereditary, the post generally going to the eldest son, though succession was not always smooth: the Mahabharata tells how Duryodhana usurped power and the Pandavas and Kauravas virtually destroyed themselves in a battle for territory, showing that kingship knows no kinship. The king’s influence was strengthened by rituals.
| Ritual | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Rajasuya | Supposed to confer supreme power on the king |
| Ashvamedha | Unquestioned control over the area in which the royal horse ran uninterrupted |
| Vajapeya | A chariot race in which the king’s chariot won against his kinsmen |
All these rituals impressed the people with the power and prestige of the king, while the king pledged to protect the brahmanas.
How Do the Two Vedic Polities Compare?
| Feature | Rig Vedic | Later Vedic |
|---|---|---|
| Unit | Jana, tribe | Janapada, territory |
| Ruler | Rajan, chief checked by assemblies | Raja with greater power |
| Revenue | Voluntary bali | Tribute, with a treasurer |
| Law and order | Spies, kin loyalty | Village assemblies under dominant clans |
| Force | Tribal militia | Tribal militia, still no standing army |
| Religion and rule | Priests praise chiefs | Rituals confirm the king’s power |
The comparison shows a state in the making, strengthened by ritual and tribute, but still limited by a weak economy.
How Was the State Run?
The collection of taxes and tributes seems to have become common, deposited perhaps with an officer called the sangrihitri who worked as the king’s companion. At grand sacrifices princes made large distributions and all sections were sumptuously fed. The king was assisted by the priest, the commander, the chief queen and a few high functionaries. At the lower level the administration was possibly run by village assemblies, controlled by chiefs of dominant clans, which also tried local cases. Even then the king had no standing army: tribal units were mustered in war, and according to one ritual the king ate with his vis from the same plate for success in war. A mature state needs a regular taxation system and a standing army, and the existing agriculture did not provide scope for regular taxes and tributes, so the rajanyas, despite brahmana support, could not establish a mature state system. As an analytical point, the later Vedic polity was a transition from tribal chiefdom to territorial kingdom, and the full state came with the Mahajanapadas and Magadha, as in The Mahajanapadas and the Republican Experiment and Rise and Growth of the Magadhan Empire. The earlier tribal polity is in The Age of the Rig Veda – Polity and Tribal Society.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Transition From tribe to state
- Terms Rashtra, rajasuya, sangrihitri
- Limits Why no mature state yet
What Came Next?
The next topic describes later Vedic social organisation: varna, family and women. Next topic: Later Vedic Social Organisation – Varna, Family and Women.
Key People and Terms
- Rashtra Territory
- Rajya Sovereign power
- Rajasuya Coronation sacrifice
- Ashvamedha Horse sacrifice
- Vajapeya Chariot race ritual
- Sangrihitri Treasurer, king’s companion
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Vidatha disappeared.
- Women barred from the sabha.
- Rashtra first arises.
- Bali becomes compulsory tribute.
- Still no standing army.
Do Not Confuse With
- Rajasuya and ashvamedha Coronation sacrifice versus horse sacrifice for territorial claim
- Rashtra and rajya Territory versus sovereign power
- Bali then and now Voluntary gift versus forced tribute
Memory Hook
Assemblies shrink, kings grow; rashtra by name, bali by force; rites of power, no army yet.
Mains Angle
Questions on later Vedic polity ask how it differed from the Rig Vedic. These points add depth.
- Assemblies Lost importance
- King Hereditary and ritually strengthened
- Limits No regular tax or army
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Compare the political organisation of the Rig Vedic and later Vedic periods.”
How to Answer
- Assemblies Weakened.
- Territory Rashtra and janapada.
- King Hereditary and rituals.
- Limits No standing army.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to tribal assemblies in later Vedic times?
The vidatha disappeared completely, and the sabha and samiti continued but were controlled by chiefs and rich nobles. Women were no longer permitted to sit in the sabha, which was dominated by warriors and brahmanas.
What were the rajasuya, ashvamedha and vajapeya?
They were rituals that strengthened the king. The rajasuya was supposed to confer supreme power, the ashvamedha meant unquestioned control over the area where the royal horse ran, and the vajapeya was a chariot race the king won against kinsmen.
How did territory become important?
Larger kingdoms formed and tribal authority became territorial. Dominant tribes gave their names to regions, the term rashtra arose for territory, rajya for sovereign power, and janapadas under kshatriya rulers fought wars for territory, not only cattle.
What was the sangrihitri?
The sangrihitri was an officer with whom taxes and tributes were probably deposited, who worked as the king's companion. His existence shows that the collection of tribute had become common in the later Vedic period.
Did the later Vedic state have a standing army?
No. Even in later Vedic times the king had no standing army and mustered tribal units in war. Without regular taxation and a standing army a mature state could not be set up on the existing agricultural base.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The vidatha disappeared in later Vedic times.
Women were also excluded from the sabha.
2 The later Vedic king maintained a large standing army.
Troops were mustered in war.
3 The term rashtra, indicating territory, arose in this period.
Rajya meant sovereign power.
4 Bali remained a purely voluntary offering.
It became forcibly collected tribute.
Related Topics
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