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A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAN
the mother during her preganancy (Indra-because his mother longed to see the paraphernalia of Indra 7.8).
Some rites were performed for the safety of the child. Sitā is said to have thrown mustard seeds and put round the necks of her sons strings of the nails of tiger, embedded with gold (97.10). It might have been performed to ward off the effects of evil spirits.
The PCV mentions that Padma and Lakşmaņa (25. 12) as well as Lavana and Ankuśa were growing gradually through the stage of crawling and walking (rinkhanacañkamaņayāi kuņamāņā 97. 11). No ceremony is referred to here in this connection. The Bhagavati Sūtra tells us that the ceremonies of crawling (parangāmaņam) and walking (payacarikamanam) were held in connection with prince Mahābala (11. 11. 429). i Nurses:--The parents paid due attention to the proper growth and nourishment of their children. For that purpose nurses were appointed in case of the noble and royal children. (dehasuha-lālaņațțhe 26.88). There is a reference to five foster-mothers of Lavana and Ankusa (pañcasu dhaisu sannahiyā 97.11). They should have been the wet-nurse (khīradhai), bath-nurse (majjanadhāi), toilet-nurse (mandana dhai), play-nurse (kīlāvana-dhai) and the lap-nurse (arkadhāi). The PCV refers to a well educated Dhãi (Dhātri) of princess Srimāla (savvatthasatthakusala 6.165). It indicates that a female child was not ignored and the nurses were well educated so that they could look after the mental development of the children properly. Thus they can be called the first teachers of the children. The nurses were accorded due respect of a mother (22.8) by the children.
Thereafter at due time the children were educated and after the completion of their education the occasion arrived for their marriage.
B. Marriage The marriage was an important event in the life of a person, With it com nenced the 'gārhasthya' life, the foundation of the family life. Therefore, necessary consultations as regards the 'kula', 'carita', 'yaya' and 'rūpa' i. e. family, conduct, age and charming physique were made before contracting a marital alliance, but rigidity in the field of inter-caste and inter-racial marriage was not observed.
1. Nāyā, I, P. 20. 2. Bhag. Süt, 11. 11.529. (Abhaya.) See AP, 14.165. It mentions majjana,
mandana, stanya samiskāra and kridana nurses, 3. See Infra.
