________________
The Working Model
327
ten years of marriage. In the Svetāṁbara Visā Poravāļa caste a second wife is allowed after twelve years of marriage provided that there is no issue at all from the first wife. Among the Jaina and Hindu members of Bāvanagāma. Bhāvasāras a person can have, with the consent of the caste, more than one wife provided he has no male issue from his previous wives. With the general awakening in the community the custom of having many wives is fast disappearing and in many parts of the country it is strictly prohibited by state regulation. For example, in the Bombay Province the Prevention of Hindu Bigamous Marriage Act has been applied to the Jainas also. 18
25. NUMBER OF CRIMINALS It has already been remarked that the proper observance of rules prescribed by Jaina Ethics moulds the personality and character of a person in such a way that usually he becomes free from criminal tendencies. 19 That is why we find ordinarily that a very small proportion of Jainas, as compared with the other communities, figures in criminal cases. With a view to ascertain whether this position is maintained by the Jainas uptil now the question number 26 was asked and from the replies it will be observed that the habitual criminals are not found among the Jainas at all. It is true that ordinary criminals are there in many Jaina castes. But it is stated that every caste, whether Jaina or Hindu, bas got some ordinary criminals and that they are less among the Jainas than among the Hindus. No doubt it is reported that we come across Jainas who are found guilty of grave criminal offences like forgery and murder but it is pointed out that such cases are very rare and the guilty persons are not habitual criminals.
26. CASTES AND SOCIAL REFORM The Jaina community has been divided into an unusually large number of castes and sub.castes and these divisions serve as separate groups for various social relations. Since these groups are strictly endogamous they hardly come into intimate contact with one another. Further, these groups belong to various sects and sub-sects of Jainism and hence even for religious purposes they do not come together. It is a fact that the caste Pañchāyatas try to maintain their castes as separate entities by several means. In these circumstances the burden of eradicating anti-social customs
