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bad persons based on body marks have also been mentioned (aphorism 334). For instance, a person whose height is 105 times the fingerwidth, who has body-marks of conch shell, bullock, etc., has moles and spots on his body, and who has virtues like sense of forgiveness, is called an excellent person. A person whose height is 104 times the finger-width is average and a person whose height is 96 times the finger-width is a bad type. These details help one know about the information contained in the works of that period on interpreting body marks.
Similarly Sutras 653 and 654 include information about how on the basis of the observation of the sky and the position of stars and planets, predictions were made about likely rainfall and its intensity, good or poor crops, and other such forecasts.
BELIEFS AND TRADES
Aphorism 21 gives names of various beliefs on the basis of ways of dressing and other habitual activities prevalent during that period. Some of these are Charak, Cheerak, Charmakhandik, Gautam, Gauvratik, etc.
The mention of caste names derived from business or profession indicates that in medieval India caste was based on trade or profession and was not by birth. Some caste names based on trade and profession are-Dausik or weavers, Sautrik or yarn-makers, Tantrik or musicians playing stringed instruments, Munjakar or rope makers, Vardhkar or cobblers, Pustkar or paper manufacturers and writers, Dantkar or those working with ivory and other bones. (aphorism 304)
From the names of performing artists, it is revealed that like in present times, there were expert gymnasts and acrobats during that period also. They presented entertaining performances for the masses by their acrobatics and practiced movement of different parts of their body. Some of these were Nartak or a dancer, Jail or one who dances on a string, Malla or a wrestler, Plavak or a diver, Lankh or one who shows his acrobatic skills on a thick pole. (aphorism 304)
Many weights and measures had been invented during that period to weigh or measure food-grains, liquids, minerals (aphorisms 320 to
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