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preserved such information. To me, the answer is difficult to find. One reason for this may be the Jain writers love for detail. This interest in detail relates not only to the way of life they themselves followed or wanted others to follow but also to the life of the people around them, and, in this category came not only the kings and their nobels, but also the merchant community, a community which still holds the control over commerce of modern India even.
The life of princes and noblemen and merchants because of their wealth was exceedingly luxurious and thus courtesans naturally played an important part. Consciously or unconsciously the life of its patrons left a deep impression on Jain canonical literature. Moreover, though prostitution was looked down upon by Jains, no social stigma seems to have been attached to it, and therefore, Jainism dealt with the problem in a matter-of-fact and candid way. Some of the stories and descriptions of courtesans in the Jain canon make this point amply clear.
The (Jñātădharma katnā) lists the attainments of a highly accomplished courtesan of Champa. Her body was faultless (Ahina), imbued with auspicious signs (laksna), and marked with black painted tilkas (vyañjana). She had the right height, girth and weight. She was proficient in the seventy-two traditional arts, and was endowed with the sixty-four qualities necessary for a courtesan. Here ásixty-fourâ might mean the sixty-four arts such as music, dancing etc., or sixty-four kinds of sexual and erotic poses and embraces. She had also an expert knowledge of the twenty-nine special qualities, the thirty-one kinds of ratiguna (sexual poses) and the thirty-two ways of treating men. She aroused slumbering passions by her youthful beauty. She was also a linguist, conversant with eighteen regional languages. She was fond of music and an expert dancer. She was graceful, witty and sweet in her conversation and a strict observer of etiquette. Her lovely breasts, her body, hands and legs were all seductive. Her fees were a thousand a day. The king granted her the special privilege of using the umbrella, chavri and fan, and she always travelled in a covered wagon. She commanded and patronized a thousand courtesans. According to Sūtrakrātānga churinecourtesans were well-versed in vaiśika (a section of the science of erotics) which is
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| SR No. | 524614 |
| Book Title | Tulsi Prajna 2003 01 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Shanta Jain, Jagatram Bhattacharya |
| Publisher | Jain Vishva Bharati |
| Publication Year | 2003 |
| Total Pages | 122 |
| Language | Hindi |
| Classification | Magazine, India_Tulsi Prajna, & India |
| File Size | 6 MB |