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liquors widely used by the people. Liquors were usually stored in jars (sura-kuḍa)1 and the royal kitchen had a special store-house called panagara where various types of intoxicating drinks and other beverages were stored.2
A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
reasons.1
In spite of the great variety of liquors, the Jaina monks, as we know, were not allowed to take wine." The author, however, allows the monks to accept wine during serious illness (agaḍha-gelaṇṇa). They could either get it from the market or ask the lay-devotees for the same by giving specific Being a pious Jaina, the attitude of our author towards wine-drinking can be easily comprehended. The author describing the sixteen great evils considers addiction to wine as one of the worst evils which deprive a person of his three-fold aim of life, i.e. Dharma, Artha and Kāma and consequently of Moksa as well.
ing.'
9
Betel-eating-People were quite accustomed to betel-eatBetel-leaves along with the various ingredients were regarded as luxurious or relishable articles (sāima).® Betelleaves were usually taken with five spices like jäi phala (nutmeg), kokkola (cinnamon), kappūra (camphor), lavamga (cloves) and pūgaphala (arecanut). Sometimes samkha-cuņņa and khaira (Acaeia Catechu) were also used in preparing betel.10 Caraka as well as Suśruta mentions that betel-leaf was to be chewn along with spices like cloves, camphor, nutmeg, kokkola, Latakastūrī and similar other objects of flavour.11 Innumerable 1. NC. 3, p. 518.
2. NC. 2, p. 456.
3. NC. 1, p. 141; NC. 2, p. 124; NC. 3, p. 135,
4. महु - मज्ज - मंसा गरहियविगतीणं गहणं आगाढे गिलाणकज्जं “ गरहालाभपमाणे" त्ति गरहंतो गेण्हति-NC. 3, P. 136.
5. वियडं मज्जं तं सड्ढघराओ आवणाओ वा गेण्हइ – NC. 1, p. 53.
6. NC. 1, p. 53; als› Brh. V, 5, p. 1324.
7. पुव्वभावितो कोष पक्कं तंबूलपत्तादि मुहे पक्खिवेज्जा – NC. 1, p. 164.
8. NC. 3, pp. 287, 519.
9. NC. 3, p. 319.
10. Ibid.
11. Carakasamhitā, 75.76; Suśrutasamhita, V. 12, p. 483 (ed. by K. Bhisagratna).
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