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Jaina Ethics and Miscellaneous Customs aud Manners
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Unlike most Brahmanic Hindus, Jainas do not believe that a woman in her monthly sickness is specially liable to spirit attacks. In their opinion a woman runs most risk of being possessed when she has just bathed and her colour is heightened by turmeric, when her hair is loose, and when she is gaily dressed, and happens to go to a lonely well or river bank at noon or sunset. Boys are also apt to be possessed when they are all well-dressed or fine looking or when they are unusually sharp and clever. 169
Orthodox Jainas who object to the early or direct form of spirit action believe in the more refined drshta or evil eye as a cause of sickness. According to the popular Jaina belief all eyes have not the blasting power of the evil eye. Various reasons are given for those who possess an evil eye. For example, it is believed that if at the time of cutting the child's naval any of the blood enters the child's eyes, their glance is sure to have a blasting or evil power.170 Further, they fear perfect happiness, and whenever they see it, they believe that an evil eye will harm the happy one through jealousy. It is considered that anything dark or bitter will avert this, and so, if new jewellery is worn, a black thread is tied on to it; if a new house is built, a black earthern vessel is placed outside; and if a beautiful child is taken out, its cheek is marked with a black smear. In the same way at a wedding a lemon is tied in the turban of the bridegroom and in the dress of the bride. so that something sour may safeguard the sweetness of their lot. When illness.occurs, it is also put down to the influence of an evil eye and to remove it a detailed process known as 'Najara bandhi is undergone. Again, another method of removing the influence of an evil eye from a sick person is to wave a loaf of millet bread round his head and then give it to a black dog; if the animal eats it, it is believed that the influence of the evil eye passes into the
dog. 171
Apart from the beliefs mentioned above Jainas in certain places have many other superstitions. On the fifth day of Śrāvana many Jaina women worship serpents, apparently to propitiate the spirits of their ancestors. In the days of plague or cholera offerings are made according to the advice of the Brāhmaṇa priests. During the epidemic of small-pox, Jaina women take certain vows before Šitalā Mātā, the goddess of small-pox. Again , Jaina women often go to Hindu or Jaina temples and promise to offer
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