Jaina Community a Social Survey

SR No.: 007019
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Vilas Sangve
Publisher: Popular Book Depot Bombay
Publication Year: 1980
Total Pages: 484
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 12 MB

Page 175

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Marriage and Position of Woman
but also among parties, of which either was a non-Jaina or a convert to Jainism. Chelana, the daughter of a Jaina King Chetaka of Vaiśāli, was married to the Buddhist King Bimbisara, King Dhanasena of Kausambi followed the Vedic religion, but his queen Dhanasri professed Jainism. Vasumitra, the merchant, paid reverence to the Jaina preceptors; but his wife Dhanaśrī was a non-Jaina. The Jaina poet Dhananjaya and the famous Buddhist lexicographer Amarasimha had their wives from among Buddhists and Jainas respectively.59
Further, in ancient times marriages were contracted by Jainas with people, who were either not of the Aryan stock and were called Mlechchhas or who resided in foreign countries. Such marriages were contracted by persons occupying high positions and Jaina literature gives numerous examples of such marriages, Vasudeva married Jarā', the daughter of a Mlechchha, and their son Jaratkumāra later on took the vow of a Jaina ascetic. King Upasrenika, the father of King Śrenika of Rajagṛha married a Mlechchha maiden by name Tilakasundari. Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, who was a disciple of a Jaina ascetic Bhadrabahu, accepted the daughter of Seleukos, the King of Syria. King Bharata, the son of the first Jaina Tirthankara Adinatha, had a large number of Mlechchha wives.60 Salibhadra, a Jaina merchant, had been to foreign countries and was married to foreign ladies. Santinatha, the 16th Jaina Tirthankara, had many thousand Mlechchha wives.61 Jinadatta, the founder of the Santāra line in Mysore, is said to have married a Naga virgin.62 The prince Rājādhiraja of Cholas, who professed Jaina religion, is said to have bravely gone down into a cavern, and by his radiant beauty won the hand of noble daughter of the Naga race.
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Besides these we find that among ancient Jainas it was not thought unnatural to marry a befitting girl from any position. There are many instances in the Jaina literature which testify to the fact that marriages were freely contracted with prostitues and with illegitimate children. Setha Charudatta, a merchant, was married to Vasantasena, a famous harlot. Prince Charuchandra, the son of King Amoghadarśana, accepted in marriage a prostitute by name Kāmapatākā.64 Nagakumāra had married Kinnari and Manohari, the two daughters of a prostitute Pañchasugandhini. Vasudeva accepted Priyangusundari whose father Aniputra