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command him to equip a suitable arena, with a Manḍapa for Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa. The chief officer should have the arena fitted properly with a small but raised seat for the king and a Mandapa for Lord Krisna and inform him accordingly. The king should then call upon the chief of the wrestlers to summon them to the arena. Wrestlers of the first class should be brought to the arena with honour on an elephant amidst sounds of trumpets. They should wear chains of gold and attractive dress previously sent to them by the king. They should also anoint themselves with the sandal paste and partake of a little curds and rice which are regarded as auspicious. The king in the meantime after finishing his dinner should dress himself and come to the arena accompanied by his servants, friends, princes and ladies of the harem. The wrestlers then should show their respect to the king who with flowers in his folded hands should worship Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa' (the portrait or idol) and after taking his seat on the Simhasana should see others well seated in their proper places. The wrestlers should begin their fight after clasping each other's hands. Wearing a dress fit for wrestling purposes they should fight in various ways. If both are equally fatigued they must be taken as equal. He who does not feel any fatigue should be declared successful, especially if he is able to break one of the limbs of his opponent. This method of wrestling is Southern. It seems that Northern or a wrestling was not in vogue then. The king should reward the successful candidates with dress, ornaments, vehicles or horses and allow them to go. The remainder of the day the king along with his retinue should pass in the arena discussing the wrestling bout and in the evening return in a palanquin.
The Tamracuḍavinoda or the amusement through cock-fight is described next. The chapter opens with a description of the different kinds of cocks and the special characteristics of the limbs of the cock. The king should keep the best cocks in his possession and nourish them through experts with excellent food and water. Methods of training them by applying mud mixed with salt to the comb etc. also are stated. Every possible care should be taken of these birds. The notice of challenge should be stuck to a post or a banner held high and the king should make his own cocks fight with those of his favourite queen whom he should take as an opponent. On 'Saturday night the ground should be first cleared and besmeared with cowdung and a Ratimandala (a table) with small squares in it should be drawn
1. The king or the Jyesthi people appear to be the Upasakas of Sri Kṛṣṇa 2 Of मल्लविनोद.
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Aho! Shrutgyanam
