________________
SOCIAL CONDITIONS
preceeding night of the final battle with Rama, The Rākṣasas freely used wine and intoxicated their beloved with it. Thus the intoxicating effect of wine made their wives care free and made their shyness disappear. They took recourse to amorous gestures. Flowers, perfumes, unguents, ointments and aloes as well as betel-leaves were profusely used. The occasion was made graceful by the playing of musical instruments (70.51-61) also.
375
Spectacles:-The Paumacariyam particularly mentions that the people of the country of Magadha used to delight themselves with the performance of acrobats (nada), dancers (naṭṭa), umbrella-players (chatta) and dancers on bamboos (laňkhaya). The people were gay and joyous with the dance and music (2. 5 niccamnaccantagiyasaddālo). Music and dance have been separatey dealt under the section of fine arts. Besides these amusements the junctions of the roads of the towns were the sites where various spectacles could be seen (caccaracaukka mapaharapecchanayamahan tamahuranigghosam 2. 13).
SECTION 6. MANNERS, CUSTOMS AND BELIEFS.
A. Manners.
The society consists of elders, equals and inferiors. In the daily business one has to contact persons of various trades. Therefore the first thing which automatically come out of one's mouth is to address a person in a particular way and to behave with him in a particular manner. Thus the PCV reveals as to how the ancient Indian people behaved with one another on such occasions. It mentions that in addressing one another some particular words were used which denoted either respect, honour and reverence or modesty, sympathy, regard and love. It was followed by a salute to the elders or the superiors and blesings to the younger or inferior ones. Thus the state of affairs proves that the people whether low or high, inferior or superior occupied a worthy position in the civilization of ancient India.
Addresses:-The elders used to address the younger ones as follows. The sons were addressed by their parents as 'kumāra' (99. 21) or 'putta' (putra 31. 81; 98. 21) or 'puttaya' (putraka 31.96; 100. 36). In the endearing terms they were addressed as 'vaccha' (vatsa 31. 73) or 'vacchaya' (100. 37). The maternal grandfather is said to be using the same term for his nephew (50.15). An elder brother would call his younger brother by his name (112. 12) or by endearing terms 'vaccha' or 'vacchaya' (45. 20; 111. 10; 37. 8). Sometimes
