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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
264
OLD BRĀHMI INSCRIPTIONS
Kbāravela differed indeed from Asoka in beating the drum of victory by sword (bherighosa) rather than in proclaiming the glory of conquest by Dhamma, the higher and higher ideal of progressive humanity. He was proud to give out to the world that he excelled in his knowledge of the science of music (Gamdhava-veda-budha) rather than in that of the deeper truths that Jainism had to teach. He caused to be organized a pompous parade of swords, umbrellas, flags, guards and horses, in short, of emblems of royalty (kakudhas). He differed from Asoka also in his endeavour to entertain the citizens of his capital even by pandering to their taste, by dampa-dapa, by dances, songs and instrumental music, and by festivities and merry gatherings (dampa-nata-gita-vādita-samdasanāhi usava-samāja-kārāpanāhi). If dampa be the correct reading, it is, without doubt, the same word as darpa, which is mentioned in the Artha-Sastral as a sport and pastime (krīdā) along with madya-krīdā. The Artha-Šāstra prescribes a fine of three paņas for the ladies of good society going to witness these two sports and pastimes. There must have been something inherently wrong in them for which the Artha-Sāstra found it necessary to prevent the ladies of good society under penal laws from witnessing them.
The word madya (“spirituous liquor") suggests that in the sport od pastime bearing its name, there was a good deal of drunkenness, a good deal of licentiousness, a good deal of intemperance, a good deal of middight revelry. The exact significance of dampa or darpa-krīda is unknown. Bhattasvāmi's commentary on the Artha-Šāstra does not throw any fresh light. It may be a general name for a number of sports and pastimes in which challenging, boasting, competing and bettings play an important part. The name dampa or darpa seems to convey the idea of combating such as in wrestling, boxing, mock-fighting and gladiatorial feats. Anyhow, there must have been in this kind of sport and pastime a good deal of excitement, a good deal of noise and tension, for which the ladies of good society were prevented from witnessing it.
If dapa be the correct reading, it is, without doubt, the same term as dava kamma, which is mentioned in the Maha-Nid desa (p. 379) as an example of vācasikā khiddā along with nātika (dramatic acting), gita (singing) and lāsa (dancing by women) precisely in the same way that in the Artha-Šāstra darpa and madya-krīdā are mentioned along with preksā
1. Artha-Sastra, III. 358: Pratigiddh a-stri darpa-madya-kridayām tripanam dandam dadyat.
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