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The relation between a woman and her husband's younger brother (devara) is characterized by flirtatious behaviour, in which often the woman herself takes the initiative (see Gāthā 456 quoted below). Equally frequently the devara goes too far and the woman has great trouble in keeping him in check (see *38 and 59). In 456 the woman provokes the devara into beating her with a young creeper. Gathā 456 reads as follows (text according to R):
dhāvai pur ao pase- navalayajuttaa ean
su bhamai ditthīpahammi saṁěhāi. de devara paharasu varāin.
She runs in front of you, wanders on both sides and stands in your view as you hold a young creeper in your hands. Go ahead, devara, use it on the poor thing!
From Gathā 862 it would appear that such beatings were part of the love-play between husband and wife. According to Ti and Tp this Gathā should read:
navalaapaharottattha- jaṁ ajja vi juvaijano
e tam ki pi haliaputt Te ghare ghare sikkhju mahai.
What even now every young woman in every house takes pleasure in learning, that thing the farmer's daughter does only when she is frightened of being beaten with a young creeper.
By provoking the devara into beating her with a young creeper she gives him all kinds of ideas. Furthermore, the way she defends herself can only encourage him to go on and take even greater liberties with her. The risen hairs on her body, which look like even so many sticks, are signs of her enjoyment of the situation. For hairs raised on a woman's body from pleasure functioning as a kind of protection, see also Gātha 96. Compare also the Skt expression romāñcakañcuka in Sprüche 3274.
