SABHA AND SAMITHI
The chief or the king in the Rig Vedic period did not exercise unlimited power, for he had to
reckon administra on with the tribal organiza ons like Sabha, Sami , and Vidhata.
It is described in the Rigveda and Atharvaveda.
Just as 'Arcopegus' was the role of the Sabha and the Sami in India, in the Greek people, in
the 'Curia' Romans.
The Sabha was also called the "people and the council. In ancient Sanskrit texts, popular
ins tu ons like Sabha, Sami , Vidath, Sangram, and Parishad have been men oned.
ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT
Thinkers have different opinions about the origin and development of these concepts.
With the development of man's poli cal life, "Sabha and Sami " emerged.
Altekar has men oned three types of mee ngs -Sabha, Sami , and Vidath-but said that it is
difficult to give a definite meaning to these words.
• In 'Parashar Madhava', Jupiter has described four types of mee ngs
1. Achal Sabha, which used to take place in the village,
2. Chal Sabha - The Sabha of learned persons who used to visit,
3. The Empowered Sami -the Superintendent was its head
4. Sabha as per command-The king was its head.
Bhrigu has also men oned some simple mee ngs in this book which were of certain castes.
• Charaka has also men oned two types of mee ngs.
1. The first is the mee ng of learned people, and
2. the second is the mee ng of the public.
Shende has wri en that the word 'Parliament' has been used in place of the House in
Atharvaveda and its members have been called corporators.
Ludwick believes that the mee ng was a ended by upper class people, such as priests and
wealthy people.
Ordinary people were members of the Sami .
Hillebrand believes that both the Sabha and the Sami were the same.
The place where people gathered was called the Sabha, and the gathering group was called
the Sami .
In Vedic texts, the gathering is generally described in two ways, the first is the gathering of
Vedic people, and the second is the place where people used to gather.
The reputa on of the Sabha as a common ins tu on was also similar, but ini ally its role was
limited.
Both the "House and the Sami " had the right to debate.
SABHA
The term Sabha occurred eight mes in the Rig Veda and seventeen mes in the Atharva
Vada.
In one instance, Sabha referred to a mee ng hall. In other instances, Sabha referred to a
"body of men shining together."
Sabha was a select body of elders. The head of the Sabha was known as 'Sabhapa '.
The Sabha advised the king on administra on. It discussed pastoral affairs and performed
judicial and administra ve func ons and exercised judicial authority. It func oned as a court
of law and tried the cases of criminals and punished them.
The term Sabha denotes both the assembly (in early Rig-Vedic) and the assembly hall (later
Rig-Vedicį.
Women called Sabhava also a ended this assembly.
It was basically a kin-based assembly and the prac ce of women a ending it was stopped in
later-Vedic mes.
Rig-Veda speaks of the Sabha also as a dicing and gambling assembly, along with a place for
dancing, music, witchcra , and magic.
The Sabha, situated outside of se lement, was restricted to the Vratyas, bands of roving
Brahmins and Kshatriyas in search of ca le, with a common woman (pumscali) while the
vidatha was the potlatch-like ritual distribu on of bounty. SAMITI
The term sami occurred nine mes in the Rig Veda and thirteen mes in the Atharva Veda.
The Rig Veda stated that one could not rule without a sami . One Vedic reference described
a raja's (ruler) presence in a sami . Another reference described several rulers si ng
together in a sami .
The Rig Veda reported people in a sami discussing their ca le. One Rig Veda prayer called
for agreement and unity of thought in the sami .
The Atharva Veda included the prayer of a Brahman priest on behalf of a sami .
The references to sami come from the latest books of the Rig-Veda showing that it assumed
importance only towards the end of the Rig-Vedic period.
Sami was a folk assembly in which people of the tribe gathered for transac ng tribal
business.
It discussed philosophical issues and was concerned with religious ceremonies and prayers.
References suggest that the Raja was elected and re-elected by the Sami .
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN "SABHA AND SAMITI”
In the beginning, there was no difference between the Sabha and the Sami . Both were
called daughters of Prajapa .
In the early Vedic Age, the Sabha and Sami had a commendable role to play as the poli cal
organiza on of the Aryans.
Both were mobile units led by chiefs who kept moving along with the forces.
The only difference between Sabha and Sami seems to be the fact that Sabha
performed judicial func ons, which the Sami did not.
Later, the sabha became a small aristocra c body and sami ceased to exist
COMPARISON WITH EXISTING REPRESENTATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
"Sabha and Sami " existed as a public representa ve ins tu on in Vedic mes.
• First, if we look at the similarity of the Sabha and the Sami with modern ins tu ons, then like
Parliament, the "Sabha and Sami " are also used to do the work of conven on, debate, control
over governance, elec on of the ruler and control with responsibility.
But a er so many similari es, there were some differences too.
There is no evidence of the rules by which the House and the Sami were governed or of
which subjects they had jurisdic on.
The king was the head of both the rule and the judiciary.
Having public loving representa ve ins tu ons is very important in the ma er of Indian
governance. "Sabha and Sami " reflect the glory of the Vedic period.
CONCLUSION
Thus, in conclusion, it can be said that in the Vedic period, "Sabha and Sami " were the
major popular public-funded monarchical ins tu ons.
The Sabha was a local body in the rural area, which was small.
The Sami func oned as a central body which had a wider scope than that of the Sabha.
The influence and dominance of the priestly, the rich, powerful class over these ins tu ons
increased, making the king also autocra c.
Ul mately, it can be said that in the Vedic period, the "Sabha and Sami " was the principal
public body of social, religious, and poli cal discourse.
