The Inner Conflict of Tradition: Essays in Indian Ritual, Kingship, and Society c13.s1.30

c13.s1.30

Our brief survey of the nature of the festival that closes the raiding season—atonement for the evil of violent strife and restoration of harmony—seems to offer a perfect opening for the transformation into the bureaucratic *règlement des comptes* intended by Kauṭilya. In both, there is an opposition between two parties whose conflict is resolved.⁴⁷ In this connection, it may be worthwhile to look more closely at the *akṣapaṭala*, the records and audit hall, or more literally, the hall of *akṣas*. These akṣas can be easily explained as counters used in the computation, although this is not made explicit. However, there seems to be more behind it.