________________ THE CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF VAISALI DR. A. S. ALTEKAR, M. A., LL. B., D. LITT. Banaras Hindu University The history of the city of Vaisali, the capital of the Licchavis, goes back to hoary antiquity. According to Puranas, northern Bihar was the seat of a dynasty founded by Nabhaga, a son of Manu. Where exactly was the seat of this dynasty, is not known. The city of Vaisali was founded when this dynasty had ruled for about 20 generations. Trnabindu, who was the 20th descendant of Nabhaga, had a son named Vigala from an apsara named Alambusa (Visbnu P. 41:39). When this prince ascended the throne, he is stated to have founded the city of Vaisali. The Vayupurana goes on to observe that owing to the traditions inherited from king Troabindu, all the kings of Vaisali were destined to become longlived, magnanimous, brave and religious (86-22). It is interesting to note that a number of localities, cities and peoples, who are later known to bave developed a republican form of government, are stated to have had a monarchical form of government in the Puranas. Such, for instance, is the case with the Madras, the Kurus, the Sibis and the Videhas. Here Puranas do not seem to be committing an anachronism; for Megasthenes also records the tradition to this effect when he states : "At last after many generations bad come and gone, the sovereignty, it is stated was dissolved, and a democratic government was set up in the cities' (Arrian. Chap. X).
