________________
SOCIAL LIFE
109
them with gifts, and they can easily be urged to do even the undesirable actions.1 Moreover, they are very prone to sexual pleasures and the excitement in the company of men easily overcomes their reasons. Although no evidence of purdah system is recorded in the text, yet it was firmly believed that women should be kept under strict control and could also be beaten for any breach of moral conduct. It was believed that women could accept paramours (jāra) even in the form of a father, brother or son.. Various instances like daughters and daughters-in-law running away with their paramours: or with persons of loose character ( dhārta-vița )", women leaving their illegitimate children in the shelter places of monks,' women enticing the monks for sexual intercourse, the proșita-patikas giving food to the monks on a similar condition have been mentioned to emphasise the unstability of their (women's) character. However, such statements do not command the general acceptance of the age 10 and are not supported by the contemporary writings of the other faiths. J. C. Jain has rightly pointed out that these statements are specifically made with a view to blacken the character of
1. सा य अप्पसत्तत्तणओ जेण वातेण वत्थमादिणा अप्पेणावि लोभिज्जति, दाणलोभिया य
32 our fa fa-Ibid. 2. वि य ताओ बहमोहाओ। तेसिं च पुरिसेहिं सह संलाव करेंतीणं दाणं च गेण्हतीण
gfaacerat het fe4--Ibid. 3: NC. 3, p. 521. 4. जेण बहू महिलियाणं कृतकभावा भवं ति, पुत्त-पति-पित्ति कडगभावेण य जारे गेण्हति
NC. 3, p. 582. 5, NC. 3, p. 267. 6. NC: 2, p. 265. 7. NC. 2, p. 173. 8, NO. 1, p. 129. 9. Ibid. 10. Varahamihira in the contemporary period violently protests against
the various vices attributed to women. According to him, men are cqually guilty of them. Sec-Brhatsanhita, 76. 6. 12, 14, 16, 17, Altekar, op. cit., p. 387.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
