The tale of a Republic
The tale of a Republic
More than two thousand years ago, there was in northern India a republic known as Vaishali. It is the earliest republic, or government by the people , known to have existed.
The State of Vaishali was situated on the bank of the river Ganga in the district which is now known as Muzaffarpur. The people who lived there were called Lichchhavis. They had no king. The head fo the State the Nayak, had no king. The head of State, the Nayak, was elected by the people by a group of leaders who were also elected.
Vaishali was a rich and prosperous State. The land was fertile and all kinds of crops grew there. There were many fruit trees. There were very happy, because they had everything they needed.
The capital of the State was city of Vaishali. It was said that this city had been founded by a prince named Vaishal, who was the son of a great king called Ikshvaku.
Vaishali was a large and beautiful city. It was protected by a high, strong wall. There were only three gates in the wall and they were strongly guarded. Inside the city there were beautiful buildings as large as palaces, having domes of gold. Some buildings had silver minarets, and yet others had roofs of copper. In short, the republic was rich and prosperous.
The people of Vaishali were noble and great.The were kind and friendly. Unity was their strength. They were so strong, brave, and united that no other country had the courage to attack them.
The kings of neighbouring countries were jealcus of this rich and prosperous republic. They were always on the look out for an opportunity to attack it and conquer it and make the people their slaves. But the pople of Vaishali and ever ready to meet any attack. They kept war drums at important places and sounded them from time to time. Hearing the sound of the drums, the people gathered at once, prepared for battle. In this way they kept the people every ready for the battle.
On the other side of the Ganga was the kingdom of magadha. Inthe fourth century B.C the Emperor of Magadha was Ajatshatru. He founded the great city of Pataliputra which is now known as Patina. Ajatashatru was a powerful king, but ge was not a kind man. It is said that he was so impatient that he killed his own father, Bimbisara, so that could himself mount the throne.
Ajatashatru did not like Vaishali to remain independent. He wanted to conquer it. He would have liked to fight the Lichchhavis and conquer them, but he was afraid of their great strength and their wonderful unity: so he did not take the risk.
Ajastashatru had a wicked and clever minster named Vasyakar. This minster knew the king's desire to conquer Vaishali. So one day he said to him:
"Your Majesty, I know that you are very eager to conquer Vaishali. If you act upon my plan, I can get Vaishali for you,"
The king was pleaded to hear this.
"How ?" asked the king. "How can you get Vaishali for me ?"
"It is very easy," replied the minster. "You should pertend that I have displeased you. You should disgrace me in public and order me to leave your kingdom. The rest I will mange myself. I shall send you a message when to attack the Lichchhavis, and then Vaishali will be yours,"
The king was very happy to know of Vasyakar's plan. So he ordered Vasyakar to leave his country, as desired by him.
Vasyakar's head was shaved, his face was painted black, and he was made to sit on a donkey and was driven out of Pataliputra.
Vasyakar crossed the river Ganga and escaped to Vaishali. He told the people that the Emperor of Magadha hed disgraced him and driven him out of his kingdom and that he had now come to take shelter in Vaishali.
The Lichchhavis were a simple and generous people. They believed all that Vasyakar told them. They not only gave him shelter but also gave him an important postion in their State Vasyakar was very hard-working and intelligent and soon rose to the important position of the Chief Justice of Vaishali.
Vasyakar was now well known throughout Vaishali. He moved freely among the people. He was gentle and kind to all, They liked him and trusted him fully.
It gave him great satisfaction to see that he had won the people's full confidence. He had completed that first of his plan, and won his first victory.
Now he entered upon the second part of his plan. He began to play one man against another so that they no longer trusted each other. In this way, he slowly introduced the poison of disunity and distrust among the people of Vaishali. They formed groups and parties. Jealousies grew. And in a few years the unity which had been the main strength of the Republic of Vaishali was broken.
Vasyakar was now happy. He felt that he was nearing his goal. He wanted to find out how far he had progressed, so he decided to put the people to the test. One day he ordered the war drums to be sounded. Few people took any notice of the call. Vasyakar was pleased to the hour to strike had come. He sent a secret message to Ajatashatru, inviting him to attack Vaishali.
Ajatashaturu was waiting for this. With a large army he crossed the Ganga and was soon at the gates of the city of Valishali. Vasyakar had one of the gates opened, and Ajatashatru's army entered the city.
The war drums were sounded, but few people came forward to fight. Vaishali fell.
King Ajastashatru, seated in a golden chariout drawn by eight white horose, entered Vaishali and was welcomed by Vasyakar and the army.
Thus Ajatashatru conquered the Republic of Vaishali and added it to the Magadha empire. He introduced his own laws and taxes. He made the Lichchhavis his slaves.
More than two thousand years ago, there was in northern India a republic known as Vaishali. It is the earliest republic, or government by the people , known to have existed.
The State of Vaishali was situated on the bank of the river Ganga in the district which is now known as Muzaffarpur. The people who lived there were called Lichchhavis. They had no king. The head fo the State the Nayak, had no king. The head of State, the Nayak, was elected by the people by a group of leaders who were also elected.
Vaishali was a rich and prosperous State. The land was fertile and all kinds of crops grew there. There were many fruit trees. There were very happy, because they had everything they needed.
The capital of the State was city of Vaishali. It was said that this city had been founded by a prince named Vaishal, who was the son of a great king called Ikshvaku.
Vaishali was a large and beautiful city. It was protected by a high, strong wall. There were only three gates in the wall and they were strongly guarded. Inside the city there were beautiful buildings as large as palaces, having domes of gold. Some buildings had silver minarets, and yet others had roofs of copper. In short, the republic was rich and prosperous.
The people of Vaishali were noble and great.The were kind and friendly. Unity was their strength. They were so strong, brave, and united that no other country had the courage to attack them.
The kings of neighbouring countries were jealcus of this rich and prosperous republic. They were always on the look out for an opportunity to attack it and conquer it and make the people their slaves. But the pople of Vaishali and ever ready to meet any attack. They kept war drums at important places and sounded them from time to time. Hearing the sound of the drums, the people gathered at once, prepared for battle. In this way they kept the people every ready for the battle.
On the other side of the Ganga was the kingdom of magadha. Inthe fourth century B.C the Emperor of Magadha was Ajatshatru. He founded the great city of Pataliputra which is now known as Patina. Ajatashatru was a powerful king, but ge was not a kind man. It is said that he was so impatient that he killed his own father, Bimbisara, so that could himself mount the throne.
Ajatashatru did not like Vaishali to remain independent. He wanted to conquer it. He would have liked to fight the Lichchhavis and conquer them, but he was afraid of their great strength and their wonderful unity: so he did not take the risk.
Ajastashatru had a wicked and clever minster named Vasyakar. This minster knew the king's desire to conquer Vaishali. So one day he said to him:
"Your Majesty, I know that you are very eager to conquer Vaishali. If you act upon my plan, I can get Vaishali for you,"
The king was pleaded to hear this.
"How ?" asked the king. "How can you get Vaishali for me ?"
"It is very easy," replied the minster. "You should pertend that I have displeased you. You should disgrace me in public and order me to leave your kingdom. The rest I will mange myself. I shall send you a message when to attack the Lichchhavis, and then Vaishali will be yours,"
The king was very happy to know of Vasyakar's plan. So he ordered Vasyakar to leave his country, as desired by him.
Vasyakar's head was shaved, his face was painted black, and he was made to sit on a donkey and was driven out of Pataliputra.
Vasyakar crossed the river Ganga and escaped to Vaishali. He told the people that the Emperor of Magadha hed disgraced him and driven him out of his kingdom and that he had now come to take shelter in Vaishali.
The Lichchhavis were a simple and generous people. They believed all that Vasyakar told them. They not only gave him shelter but also gave him an important postion in their State Vasyakar was very hard-working and intelligent and soon rose to the important position of the Chief Justice of Vaishali.
Vasyakar was now well known throughout Vaishali. He moved freely among the people. He was gentle and kind to all, They liked him and trusted him fully.
It gave him great satisfaction to see that he had won the people's full confidence. He had completed that first of his plan, and won his first victory.
Now he entered upon the second part of his plan. He began to play one man against another so that they no longer trusted each other. In this way, he slowly introduced the poison of disunity and distrust among the people of Vaishali. They formed groups and parties. Jealousies grew. And in a few years the unity which had been the main strength of the Republic of Vaishali was broken.
Vasyakar was now happy. He felt that he was nearing his goal. He wanted to find out how far he had progressed, so he decided to put the people to the test. One day he ordered the war drums to be sounded. Few people took any notice of the call. Vasyakar was pleased to the hour to strike had come. He sent a secret message to Ajatashatru, inviting him to attack Vaishali.
Ajatashaturu was waiting for this. With a large army he crossed the Ganga and was soon at the gates of the city of Valishali. Vasyakar had one of the gates opened, and Ajatashatru's army entered the city.
The war drums were sounded, but few people came forward to fight. Vaishali fell.
King Ajastashatru, seated in a golden chariout drawn by eight white horose, entered Vaishali and was welcomed by Vasyakar and the army.
Thus Ajatashatru conquered the Republic of Vaishali and added it to the Magadha empire. He introduced his own laws and taxes. He made the Lichchhavis his slaves.
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