The work was undertaken with a view to identifying the basic structures of the classical Indian political theory and to consolidate the belief that India could very legitimately claim to possess one of the oldest traditions of political thought in the world. The Main features of the ancient Indian polity are traced back to remote antiquity as the natural outgrowth of an historical process. The book relies on expressive primary sources all of which are in Sanskrit, like the Vedas, Dharmasuturas, Dharmashastras, the two epics, the Manusmriti, and the Arthashastra. In order to reveal the profound knowledge of the ancient Indian scriptures the book is marked by the alternation of theoretical discussion and presentation of concrete data so as also to work out a fresh approach to the study of ‘Indian Polity’. This methodological innovation is its central thrust.