devaanaampriya? (was Re: something else)

[Jacob Baltuch]

Peter Wyzlic wrote:

>> I was surprised (given the metaphore) to read in some translation of
>> azoka's edicts he styled himself deevaanaaMpriya.  What's the
>> earliest attested metaphorical use?
>
>Perhaps Katyayana (the grammarian) in a varttika to
>        .sa.s.thyaa aakro"se (6.3.20 in Pathak/Chitrao's Sutrapatha)
>Katyayana adds: devaanaampriya iti ca. (This seems to give an
>abusive sense.)
>
>But this is not the earliest reference available. I have seen it
>in the Maitrayanisamhita (although written as two distinct words
>in von Schroeder's edition).

But then since this connotation is so old, how come azoka (and per
Anshuman's post candragupta) were not worried people would chuckle? :)

Btw, does anyone know of any other Indian rulers (besides the maurya)
who ignored the meaning of fool and called themselves that?