Dear List members,

In Kauṭilya's Arthaśāstra the duties of the dyūta adhyakṣa is dealt with in Book 3 immediately after that of the dharmastha. I suspect there is a "deeper" relationship involved between dharma and dyūta than that of law and fair play. For that, see Lüders (Würfelspiel im alten Indian), who refers to the Vidhurapaṇḍitajātaka (1227: dhammena jiyyāma asāhasena) and the Mahābhārata (2, 59: dharmeṇa tu jayo yuddhe tatparaṃ na tu devanaṃ/ ajihmaṃ aśaṭhena yuddhaṃ etat satpuruṣavrataṃ). I wonder if something has been written about this.

Herman