Cultural Study of Nisitha Curni

SR No.: 001743
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Madhu Sen
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar
Publication Year: 1975
Total Pages: 432
Language: English, Prakrit
Classification: Book_English, Agam, Canon, & Literature
File Size: 23 MB

Page 197

12
MATERIAL CULTURE
1777
of women after finishing their toilet.1 The ladies made liberal use of the toilet-articles which gave an impetus to their sensual feelings. 3
Certain pbrases like "nhāṇavatthabharanagaṁdhamallamu-.. levanadhūvanava satamboladi'3 and "abbhaṁguvațţaņaṇhānavilev-. anapi'setc. mentioned in the text clearly reveal the whole process of toilet and its various accessories. The various items. of toilet have been mentioned here in a consecutive order. It can be easily judged from these phrases that the gentleman of this time had his body anointed with perfumed oils and scented pastes (abhyanga), underwent proper massage and were scrubbed with cleansing substances (uvastana-uvvalana) before he proceeded to take bath. Fine clothes and ornaments (vatthabharana) were worn after taking bath with the garland adjusted around the neck (malla), body besmeared and suffused with various scented unguents, powders and perfumes (anulevana, vilevaņa, alimpaņa). Clothes were perfumed with fragrant smoke of incense (dhūvana-vā saņa) and the betel-leaves were chewn to redden the lips(tāṁbola). This description of the earlier life of the monk, i. e. when he was a house-holder, bears a striking similarity with the account of earlier authorities, i. e. Suśruta and Vatsyayana. Susruta while laying down twenty-four rules regarding the toilet says that a man had to massage his head with oil (širobhayanga), anoint and rub his limbs (udvartana, utsadanaudgharşana), take some exercise, shampoo his body and then go to his bath. After bath the body was to be suffused with fragrant paste (anulepana), his hair combed, nails painted, ornaments
1. Atollerarafarei sfturhufige-NC. 2, p. 466. 2. TEFT T SHTqE9-1610-fam quifaciame ga1_NC. 2, p. 22. 3. NC. 4, p. 3. Similar expression is also found in Pāli phrases. Sce
Girija Prasanna Majumdar's article on "Toilet' in Indian Culture
Vol. I, pp. 651-66. 4. Sce above note 2. 5. "उवभोगो" त्ति पहाणवत्थाभरणगंधमल्लाणुलेवणधूवणवासतंबोलादियाणं पुव्वं आसी
NC. 4, p. 3; also NO. 2, p. 12.