devaanaampriya? (was Re: something else)

[Lars Martin Fosse]

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

May I call attention to the following verse from the Ramayana (I.1.16):

aarya.h sarvasa/scaiva sadaiva priyadar/sana.h

"the Aryan is the same to all and always of a friendly countenance
[agreeable to look at]"

Here there is no trace of a negative sense. I would suggest that the use of
priyadar/sin in a negative sense may be ironical. Whether it is positive or
negative may depend upon context or upon inflection of voice. Compare
similar uses of basically positive expressions in Western languages, such as
"You are really something" (used as a reproach).

Best regards,

Lars Martin Fosse


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