ABSTRACT
The previous chapter demonstrated that the more senior a panjaka, the greater the need for him to be ‘chosen’ and ‘tested’ by his subjects. The text argued that seniorpanjakas had to be ‘chosen’ in order that the best possible candidate for the job (according to a diverse set of criteria) be put in place. It also argued that they had to be ‘tested’ in order that they might prove themselves worthy of such an elevated position. In this chapter I intend to elaborate on exactly how they are ‘tested’ and how this ‘testing’ is interpreted both by the panjakas themselves and by their subjects. I will show that the ‘tests’ set for the panjakas are intentionally designed to be difficult so that the process of becoming a panjaka may universally be judged as significant.
