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Literary battles also were in vogue ( 24-3; 30.20-31.2; 31.8). It was customary among dialecticians to throw straw and water in the residence of an opponent as a token of challenge for an open dialectical contest ( 30.8). A dialectician from Bengal, having been intoxicated due to a succession of victories, used to tie to (lit. beneath his legs as many as 84 put!alakas ( 30.7-8). The great disputation with him is stated to have continued for no less than eighteen days (31.1). Being defeated at last, he died of heart-bursting (31.1-2). It was the usual practice, as appears from our text, to utilize the wealth belonging to a defeated and dead disputant for purposes of the Teligion of the victorious dialectician ( 31.2 f1.).
There is a reference to a peculiar mode of justice through ondeals acceptable to the parties concerned (27.15 ff.; 28.13 ff.). References to policeofficers are also met with in our text (28,20; 29.2). There is a reference to locking rooms from inside ( 12.8).
The cities were surrounded by protective walls and possessed huge gates through which alone one could secure an entry therein ( 8.2, 5; 9.1; 29.3). Usually cities were situated in vicinity of rivers ( 13.4). The streets of the cities were, in many cases, tiamed after the coinmunities dwelling therein or the profession of the same ( 10.4).
Labourers ( 15.11, 17, 19: 16.1) used to wait for work at cross-roads in the city-bazaars ( 15.11, 12).
At one place it is tauntingly stated that the weight of the head of a ksa panaks was just 32 palas ( 24.7). Pala was the unit of weighing and the usual table of weights given elsewhere is as under :
1 Pala = 4 Karşas, I Karşu = 16 Māsas,
Māsa = 8 Guñjās; one Guñia being equal to 2;grains,
and
Similarly yojana (25-5, II) and gavyūli are stated among the measures of distances. A yojana is roughly equivalent to eight miles and a gavyūti to two miles.
Among metals special reference is made to gold ( 4.2, 9, IT; 9.1; 27.3), silver ( 4.2, 9, 11 ), copper ( 4.1 ) and iron ( 28.13).
As to coinage we get references to the Drammas ( 29.1; 30.12 ). The mint also is referred to once ( 47.13). Among precious belongings are mentioned gems ( 12.3, 7, II; 16.11, 14; 22.20; 27.13, 14).
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