(i) The chief social unit of the Rigvedic Aryans was known as jana. The chief of this unit was the political leader called Rajan.
(ii) The main function of the chief was to protect the jana and cattle from the enemies.
(iii) The post of the chief was not hereditary. The tribes generally elected him.
(iv) The purohita assisted and advised the chief on various matters.
(v) Besides purohita, there were a limited number of other officials who assisted the chief in the day-to-day tribal affairs. Senani, Kulapa, gramini, etc., were some of the functionaries.
(vi) The sena or army was not a permanent fighting group and consisted of able bodied tribesmen who were mobilised at the time of wars.
(vii) Takshan, the carpenter and rathakara, the chariot maker were responsible for making chariots.
(viii) The people offered to the chief what is called bali. It was just a voluntary contribution made by the ordinary tribesmen on special occasions.
Changes that took place in the Later Vedic period
(i) The nature of chiefship changed in this period. The chiefship had become hereditary. The idea of the divine nature of kingship gets a mention in the literature of this period. The brahmanas helped the chiefs in this process.
(ii) The elaborate coronation rituals such as vajapeya and rajasuya established the chief authority.
(iii) The chiefs became more powerful. The authority of the popular assemblies started waning. The officers were appointed to help the chief in administration and they acquired the functions of the popular assemblies as main advisors.
(iv) A rudimentary army too emerged as an important element of the political structure during this period. All these lived on the taxes called bali, the shulka, and the bhaga offered by the people.
(v) The chiefs of this period belonged to the kshatriya varna and they in league with the brahmanas tried to establish complete control over the people in the name of dharama.
