________________ The Constitutional History of Vaisali 227 We can now take up the famous Jataka passage which describes the constitution of the Liccbavis. It runs as follows: तत्थ निच्चकाल रज्जं कारेत्वा वसंतानं येव राजूनं सत्तसहस्सानि सत्तसतानि सत्त च राजानो होंति तत्तका येव उपराजानो तत्तका सेनापतिनो तत्तका भंडागारिका / Jataka I, p. 504. This passage has given rise to a lot of controversy, and considerable ingen uity has been exercised in interpreting it. Its literal translation seems to be as follows : Of the kings who were permanently residing and ruling there (i. e. in Vaisali) the number was seven thousand, seven hundred and seven, The number of Upara jans was the same, as also the number of Senapatis and treasurers. Dr. Bhandarkar thought that the passage refers to a federation of 7707. i. e., a very large number of kings, each of whom maintained separate autonomy, wbile allowing the Sangha to exercise supreme powers with reference to other matters affecting the state (Carmichael Lectures, p. 1.5). Dr. Majumdar thought the number of kings was not to be taken literally ; it shows simply that the supreme assembly was very large. Each of its members had a full suite of officers required for the administration of a state (Corporate Life, pp. 93-4 1st edn). Dr. Ghoshal thinks that the statement is true as far as the number of 'kings' is concerned, but not so far as the numbers of viceroys, generals and treasurers are concerned. (IHQ, XX, pp. 334 ff). When however it is rembered how the term Rajan in some case denoted only a Ksatriya and that the sovereignty was vested in the Ksatriya class only in most of the republics, the interpretation of the passage will become an easier problem. The area between Gorakhpur and Darbhanga and the Himalayas and the Ganges was a land of republic in the days of the Buddha and tbere flourished the republics of the Bhaggas, the Bulis, the Koliyas, the the Sak yas, the Licchavis and the Videhas in this small territory. The Licchavi state was the biggest in this area, but its area does not appear to have been more than about 5,000 square miles. When the Aryans came and occupied this territory, it seems to have been divided into about 7700 Ksatriya families, who became something like the Zamindar families of the state. They were all Ksatriyas and were known as Rajans. The heads of these families were staying in the capital and they
