The Sramanic tradition in India represents one of the most significant currents in early Indian political thought. Emerging as a heterodox movement alongside the Vedic tradition, the Sramanic path included diverse schools such as Jainism, Buddhism, and the Ajivikas, all of which challenged the authority of the Brahmanical order and its ritualistic framework. The political ideas within the Sramanic tradition cannot be understood in isolation from its ethical and philosophical foundations, as the Sramanas sought to address questions of social justice, moral governance, and the responsibilities of rulers, often emphasizing the moral and ethical dimensions of political life over the formal structures of statecraft. A central concern of the Sramanic tradition was the critique of social hierarchies and inequalities perpetuated by Vedic ritualism and the caste system. Jainism, under the leadership of Mahavira, and Buddhism, founded by Gautama Buddha, promoted principles of non-violence (ahimsa), compassion, and moral responsibility. These ethical precepts had a direct bearing on political thought because they suggested that legitimate rule must be grounded in ethical conduct. Rulers were expected to act in accordance with dharma not in the ritualistic sense prescribed by the Vedas but in a more universal ethical sense that emphasized the welfare of all sentient beings. This represented a significant departure from earlier political ideas that often linked kingship and authority to ritual correctness and divine sanction. In the Sramanic vision, the legitimacy of power was closely linked to the moral character and conduct of the ruler. Jain texts such as the Acaranga Sutra underscore the principle of non-violence, suggesting that a king or ruler should avoid cruelty and unnecessary harm, and should act with restraint even in the context of warfare. Similarly, Buddhist texts, including the Digha Nikaya and the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, emphasize the role of the ruler as a protector of the people and promoter of moral