Janapadas and Mahajanapadas Flashcards
What is the Later Vedic Period? When did it happen?
The period of Vedic expansion into the Indo-Gangetic Plain between 1000 BCE and 600 BCE is the Later Vedic Period
How did the Vedic settlements become permanent?
Vedic people cleared the thick forests of the Indo-Gangetic Plain with the help of fire and iron tools - brought more land under cultivation - started leading settled lives as cultivators - settlements became permanent
What is a janapada?
Janapada - a tribal state ruled by a rajan (chief)
How were Mahajanapadas formed?
The Rajans who ruled janapadas fought among themselves for control over land, as whoever controlled the largest territory was considered the most powerful. The powerful states that emerged after defeating the smaller states (janapadas) came to be known as mahajanapadas
By around 600 BCE, how many mahajanapadas were there? Give examples. Where do we get this information from?
By around 600 BCE, there were 16 mahajanapadas, according to the Buddhist texts Anguttara Nikaya and Digha Nikaya.
Which mahajanapada was the most powerful?
Magadha was the most powerful Mahajanapada
What is a state?
A state is a political organisation that has sovereignty over a geographical area- this means that its government is free from outside control.
Describe the ruling of the monarchies of the Later Vedic Period (5)
The 16 mahajanapadas were mostly concentrated in the Gangetic Plain; a majority of them were monarchies (states ruled by kings or monarchs).
The king became more powerful in the Later Vedic period compared to the Early Vedic Period
Kingship was passed from father to son (hereditary)
The king was considered divine
The king imposed taxes to administer the land
Army was under the king’s control
The king was the lawmaker too.
Describe the ruling and location of the republics of the Later Vedic Period.
- Republic - people (members of an assembly) elect their ruler - power lay with people of the state, not the ruler - republics also known as gana-sanghas (lit. people assembly) - located in less fertile tracts of land e.g. Himalaya foothills, northwestern India - well-known republics are of the Shakyas, Mallas, Vajjis (Vrijjis) and Yadavas
- Republic - ruled by ganapati (chief) - office was not hereditary - ganapati consider chief rather than king - assembly vital in land administration - ganapati collected different types of taxes - had strong army
What are the main sources of information about the Later Vedic Period?
Main sources of information - Buddhist, Jain, Vedic texts - Jataka Tales, Brahmanas, Upanishads; Ramayana, Mahabharata
