V Y AV A STIH A“. DA RIP AN A . Ꮾ Ꮌ ? entire to their eldest sons, not to their own brethren. Thus, your son shall not have much reverence, but as a helpless one, shall be destitute of enjoyment, nor shall be longer reckoned a in ember of the ever enduring royal race.” Joaoma yana, Ajoddhya Kandt. “But, of many sons, one is consecrated to the empire. If all were kings, it would be the highest injury. Therefore, spotless beauty, kings commit the affairs of government to their eldest sons, or to others more virtuous. Doubtless they consecrate to the empire the eldest by birt4 or earcellence, and never commit the entire kingdom to his brothers.” After commenting on these texts the author of the Fira dabha nga rwaca prits this question ; “May not the middlernost, or other son, be inaugurated 7” and himself decides it thus :-‘‘Since the eldest son, being first, cannot be passed over, his consecration is directed ; but if he be vicious, another son, who is virtuous, in:ly obtain the kingdom.” Dig. vol. I 1. pp. 123, 1:2 #. II. “Among all the sorts of 14.8% are ore, the first born is king : thori, son of Joy/a, art first born, and shalt, this day be consecrated to the ernpire. This prescriptive law in thy family thou eanst, not now rejeet.” /*to wa w?/ana, . (jvt?/.../a'/*a”ozala . /^ iat. p. 1 l !!. Soons, remorking that the kingdom of Ajodhya was 11ot divided, hold that kind oths are indivisible on the authority of custom, although it be not expressly declared in the text of any sage.* Ibias. p. 1 19. Is I. When Pu'a slit retired to the forest, his kingdom, governed by //hristra s/.../ra, fell under the domination of Juryodka not ; but, recovered by 1848 on and his brothers, was enjoyed by Jazd/lish {/, ira, £nd not shared by his brethren : Therefore a kingulom is indivisible. Coleb. Dig. vol. II. p. 1:20. I V. Even now it is secrl in practice, that entire kingdoms are severally held by one prince, although he have brothers. * A&al. p. 1 19. V. If a king give the whole of his dominions to bis eldest son qualified for the empire, although his other sons be void of offence, the gift is valid, provided it be the act of a prince neither insane nor otherwise disqualified ; for it is done in conformity with the practice of former kings (as shown in sacred and popular histories,) without offence on the part of the other sons or of their father. Thus //askaratha intended to commit his kingdom to /*a ma, in the prescuee
- This digression is not altogether misplaced ; for the great possessions, alled, Zemindarees in official language, are considered by modern Hindu lawyers as tributary principalities. Colebrooke's Note.
Dig. Vol. 11. p. 119.
