The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c12.s2.1

c12.s2.1

It would be tedious to continue this demonstration, which could in fact be extended throughout the śrauta ritual. But one more point is interesting for our purpose. This point concerns the king's *daṇḍa*, or staff. In the classical dharma texts, the daṇḍa is the primordial and exclusive symbol of the king's capacity to punish. Daṇḍa has even come to mean punishment itself and as such is identified with dharma. Now we know the daṇḍa, though not in the later sense, from the Vedic ritual as the typical attribute of the consecrated sacrificer, which is handed to him after the dīkṣa bath, that is, at the time when he is supposed to set out on his expedition.⁸² In this context, it represents Voice, who took refuge in the trees, that is, in the jungle. But without Voice, it is said, no prowess (*vīrya*) can be shown.