History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c52.32.7

v3.c52.32.7

14-22) gives a more graphic account that at the time of giving gifts, the king's kinsmen are collected with their wealth, arrows are discharged at them by the sacrificer, they themselves bring back the arrows and declare 'O king, may you be victorious.' One-third of their wealth is distributed among the priests, one-third is given at the time of the Daśapeya to the worthy brāhmaṇas brought in that rite, one-third is returned to the kinsmen, villages are bestowed on them and they become rājanyas (king's nobles) but not worthy of coronation. Before getting down from the chariot he puts on boar-skin shoes, bows to the earth with 'O mother earth! do not injure me nor may I injure thee' (Vāj. S. X. 23, Tai. S. I. 8. 15. 1). The king then sits on a chair or throne made of khadira that is placed in front of the āgnīdhrīya shed (Āp. XVIII. 18. 5-8, Kāt. XV. 7. 1-4). The priests and the 'ratnins' take seats round him; the brahmā priest (the purohita or adhvaryu according to Kāt. XV. 7. 11) hands over the sphya to the king, from whom it passes on to several persons viz. the king's brother, sūta, sthapati, village headman, kinsman (Āp. XVIII. 18. 14-16). According to Kāt. (XV. 7. 13) the kinsmen and the pratiprasthātṛ mark out a place for dice play with the sphya (according to Āp. XVIII. 18. 16 the superintendent of gambling does so). On the ground so marked a quadrangular hut or shed is erected.