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 81

POLITY AND ADMINISTRATION
physical torture or corporal punishment (śārīra-tāḍana), imprisonment (niggahabamdha), banishment from the State or kingdom (nirvasita) and death (maraṇa-dan la) are frequently mentioned in the text.1 Censure or reproach (durvacana2_ khimsant) must have been a mild punishment for ordinary offences. Almost all the crimes could be cleared away in terms of fine and it was a regular source of State income.. Frequent references to fines and confiscation of property* reveal that they were most commonly administered punishment. of the time.
Physical
punishment (sarira )5 was not uncommon. Amongst the various forms of corporal punishment, mutilation of the various limbs of body, i. e. hands, feet, ears, nose, penis etc., blinding the eyes or extracting them out with a hot iron stick (tattasalaga), putting to fetters (nigaḍabandha), torture with an instrument (janta-piḍana)1o and beating with lashes (kasaghata) have been frequently mentioned in the text. From another contemporary Jaina work we learn that the eyes were extracted and the tongue
1
61
1. Eight kinds of punishment
are recorded in the Jaina tradition. These are: Expression of regret, prohibition, reproach, reprimand,. confinement to a certain district, imprisonment, corporal punishment and fine-Samarai ccakahā, p. 358; vide-Choudhary, op. cit., p. 371. For similar references to crime and punishment in certain Jaina texts. see-Prof. Kālīpāda Mitra's article 'Crime and Punishment in Jaina Literature', IHQ., Vol. 15, pp. 75-89; also LAI., pp. 66-74.
2. दुव्वयण - घाय-बंधाइएहिं उत्तावेंति माति वा – NC. 2, p. 233.
3. तस्स भोगहरण - बंधण-ताडण- खिसणा य सव्वे पगारा कता - NC. 3, p. 48.
4. Ibid.; NC. I, p. 130.
5. मम दंडं सारीरं वा णिग्गहं करेहि - NC. 4, p. 362.
6. कण्णच्छि - नास-कर- पादकिरंगिते वा - NC. 3, p. 200; कण्ण - णास - णयणुग्धायणं वा fa-NC. 4, p. 13; also Samaraiccakahā, p. 289, also
ata,
p. 95; Yalastilaracampu, 3. 403.
7. NC. 3, p. 582.
8. अत्रराहियस्स वा उप्पाडियागि, तत्तसलागाए वा अंजियाणि – NC. 3, P. 263.
9. णिगडादितो बंधो - NC. 3, p. 202.
10. जंतेण वा पीलति - NC. 3, p. 56. 11. कसघातादितो वहो - NC. 3, p. 202.