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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
125
Mananāştami and Caitrůstumi are mentioned among main festive days (5.4-5). Mahanastomí appears to be the eighth day of the bright half of the month of Ašvina, even today known as Mahāştami; and Caitrāştami is most probably the eighth day of the bright half of the month of Caitra. Both these holy days are today characterized with goddess-worship and are celebrated as such throughout the whole nation by Hindus irrespective of their sects.
Among fuels are mentioned wood-pieces (16.16) as well as dung.cakes ( 16. 11, 13, 13-14).
Kuccolalas or cups (30.4) and kamandalus or water-pots ( 30.14) are Inentioned here among utensils.
At one place (20.4) there is reference to the Gujarati language. At another (74) we meet with a statement that Siddharāja Jaya. si in ha was the king of the Gurjara land of 70 thousands. This may probably mean either the population of the main land of Gujarāta proper or it may indicate the army of Gujarata proper. A few lines alter ( 7.17), however, it is stated that Siddharaja's army comprised 5 hundred thousand horsemen and g hundred thousand foot-soldiers. This large number included, of course, the armies of his feudatories also. A similar statement regarding Mala vă appears at 6.14-15, where king Siddharaja is stated to have been engaged in catching hold of the hair of the Malaya plory of 18,92,000. The term 'glory' (laksmi) teinpts us to consider this figure as the amount of tribute paid to Siddharāja by the king of Mälavă, It does not appear fair to regard it as indicative of the statistics of the annual income of that land, which, in ali probability, would have been much more.
There is a single reference to a golden time-piece (4.9).
Two modes of expression also can be noticed. The bashfulness of females used to be indicated by covering the head ( with the upper garment) (1.16). The other reference is to the mode of requesting for a second betel-roll and chewing one. This is stated to have been done by placing one's palm on the shoulder (1.12-13). Such a gesticulation indicated probably the noble birti of the man (1.13).
As regards general vices, we get references to prostitutes, bawds and gambling. The institution of prostitutes was a well-recognized one and could procure monetary aid from queens (1.9-10). There is a specific statement that the queen of the powerful king of Kalyan ako fipura called Para måd i (i.c. Paramarddin) donated a city on the borderline to prostitutes for maintenance. The bawds, too, had a place in the society and could flourish in their business. They were always in search of lovely
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