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SOCIAL LIFE
115 narrate the stories from the Epics and the Purāṇas. Apart from these, performances performed by the actors ( nada ), singers ( gojja ), acrobats, bamboo-top-dancers ( lamkha ) and rope-walkers attracted large audience.'
Customs and Beliefs
The NC. displays a wide variety of customs, traditional beliefs and superstitions prevailing in the society at that age. Apart from the usual ancient customs like respect towards elders, occupying lower seat in the presence of the elders, proper form of salutation,' hospitality towards the guests, giving of alms to the ascetics and monks by house-holders? etc., the author also refers to various beliefs such as potentiality of omens, charms, augaries and dreams. Also listed with them are various supernatural powers or magical practices to counteract the effects of the same or for the acquisition of anything desirable.
Great faith was displayed towards the science of astrology. Rarely a sacred ceremony or significant activity in the material or spiritual field could commence without finding out a suitable time when the tithi, karaṇa, muhūrta and naksatra were favourable.: The 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th and 12th of the bright as well as dark half of the month were considered inauspicious ( appasattha ). Considerable attention was also paid towards the astronomical position of the stars and planets. The following seven positions of planets were considered inauspicious(i) the planet which rises in the heaven as the sun rises ( samjhāgata ); (ii) the planet in which the sun is existing ( Ravigata ); (iii) when the planet has gone opposite to its 1. HYFTAT... 37TAT HITT szafa--NC. 4, p. 26. 2. NC. 2, p. 468. 3. NC. 3, p. 34. 4. NO. 1, p. 10. 5. NC. 4, p. 88. 6. NC. 3, p. 415. 7. NC. 2, p. 102; NO. 3, p. 358. 8. NO. 4, p. 302.
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