The Shakya were a clan of the Vedic period (1750–500 BCE). The name Śākya is derived from the Sanskrit word śakya, which means "the one who is capable".
The Shakyas formed an independent republican state known as the Śākya Gaṇarājya. The Shakya capital was Kapilavastu, which may have been located either in Tilaurakot, Nepal or Piprahwa, India.