Samraat (Sanskrit samrã) is an Ancient Indian title sometimes translated into modern English as "Emperor". The title of empress is "Samragyi" (in Sanskrit, samrãjñī). This word has been used as an epithet of various Vedic deities, like Varuna, and has been attested in the Holy Rig Veda.

Typically, in the later Vedic age, a Hindu king (Maharajah) was only called Samrā after performing the Vedic Rajasuya sacrifice, enabling him by religious tradition to claim superiority over the other kings and princes. Another word for emperor is sārvabhaumā. The title of Samrā has been used by many rulers of the Indian subcontinent as claimed by the Hindu mythologies. In proper history, most historians call Chandragupta Maurya the first samrā of the Indian subcontinent, because of the huge empire he ruled.Mauran Emperor Ashoka the great is betterly known as Samraat Ashoka because of his vastness of his empire.

In Kerala the highest authority on the Namboodiri Brahmins is known as the Azhavanchery Samrat.

Category:Ancient India