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Marriage and Position of Woman
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Christian ladies.198 The Jaina women not only kept up the pace of female education but at times made original contributions to literature. Along with men Jaina women also added to Kannada literature. The greatest name among them was Kānti who, along with Abhinava Pampa, was one of the gems that adorned the Court of Hoyasala King Ballala I (A. D. 1100-1106). She was a redoubtable orator and a poet who completed the unfinished poems of Abhinava Pampa in the open court of that ruler.199 Similarly, a Jaina lady Avvaiyāra, 'the Venerable Matron', was one of the most admired amongst the Tamil poets.200
Of all the important events in the life of a woman, marriage is the most singular one. When a woman enters the institution of marriage she is called upon, in course of time, to rear and bring up the next generation. This makes her condition more precarious and of necessity she had to depend for the time being on the help and co-operation of her partner. Inequality of sex is the most obvious fact, of the societal situation and the weaker sex has to adjust itself with the stronger one. The fate of a woman is, thereiore, determined by her position in various aspects of marriage. A well-devised marriage will give her the desired protection, otherwise there is every possibility that her life would be ruined. Marriage, thus, occupies an important place in the consideration of the social status of women. Though marriage, according to Jainas, is more in the nature of a civil contract and completely bereft of religious necessity, yet it was made obligatory for all persons, men and women, by the Jaina law-givers. Those who do not wish to follow the life of renunciation and asceticism from an early age were advised to get married. Marriage was made equally compulsory for both women and men. Out of the eight forms of marriage the most prevalent forms of marriage in Jaina community at present are the Brahma or Prajapatya. There is no marked distinction between these two forms of marriage and they can perhaps be considered one and the sane. It has been observed that this marriage is contracted without any exchange of money and the bride is given by her father as a gift to the bridegroom. To give away a daughter to the best available bridegroom out of sole regard for her happiness without receiving any consideration whatsoever recorded a marked ethical advance201 and definitely helped in making the status of both the parties equal. As regards
