India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c9.s2.1

c9.s2.1

MEANING OF ŚILPA—Pāṇini mentions *śilpa* as a general word denoting both fine arts, like dance and music (III.2.55), and crafts (VI.2.62). Dancers (*nartaka*), musicians (*gāyana*) and instrumentalists (*vādaka*) are all called *śilpins* (III.1.146; IV.4.56). This meaning agrees with that in Buddhist literature where the *sippas* include the work of craftsmen and even acrobats. The *Kaushītaki Brāhmaṇa* also regards dance and song as *śilpa* (XXIX.5). The *Arthaśāstra* considers proficiency in military science as a *śilpa*, trained soldiers being referred to as *śilpavantaḥ pādātāḥ* (*Arth.* V.3, p. 248), a king's inspection of military parade as *śilpa-darśana*.