Nāya
Nāya Republic | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c. 7th-6th century BCE–c. 468 BCE | |||||||||
Nāya among the Gaṇasaṅghas | |||||||||
The Mahajanapadas in the post-Vedic period. Nāya was part of Vajji (the Vajjika League) | |||||||||
| Status | Republic of the Vajjika League | ||||||||
| Capital | Kuṇḍagāma | ||||||||
| Common languages | Prakrit | ||||||||
| Religion | Proto-Jainism | ||||||||
| Demonym | Nāyika | ||||||||
| Government | Aristocratic Republic | ||||||||
| Gaṇa Mukhya | |||||||||
| Legislature | Sabhā | ||||||||
| Historical era | Iron Age | ||||||||
• Established | c. 7th-6th century BCE | ||||||||
• Conquered by Ajātasattu of Magadha in 484–468 BCE | c. 468 BCE | ||||||||
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| Today part of | India | ||||||||
Nāya (Prākrit: 𑀦𑀸𑀬 Nāya; Pāli: Nāta; Sanskrit: Jñāta) was an ancient Indo-Aryan tribe of north-eastern South Asia (modern-day Bihar) whose existence is attested during the Iron Age. The population of Nāya, the Nāyikas, were organised into a gaṇasaṅgha (an aristocratic oligarchic republic), presently referred to as the Nāya Republic, which was part of the larger Vajjika League.
The existence of the Nāyikas is primarily known because of Mahāvīra who was born in this tribe. Mahāvīra himself was called Jñātaputra in Sanskrit and Nātaputta in Pāli, meaning "son of the Nāyikas."