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POSITION OF WOMEN
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custom, although it does not come exactly under the category of niyoga. It is said that once Kayapunna, a merchant of Rāyagiha, was sleeping in a temple, whence he was taken away by a merchant woman to her house This woman had lost her son in a shipwreck, and since there was no heir to his property, she feared that the heirless property might go to the king. The merchant woman told her four daughters-in-law that Kayapunna was their brother-in-law (devara) who was found after a very long time Kayapunna remained there for twelve years and in the course of time begot four children by each one of them
SELF IMMOLATION We do not find any instance of self immolation or the custom of Sati in Jain texts except one in the sahānisiha when a widowed daughter of a certain king, in order to save her family from disrepute, wanted to perform Sati, but since this custom was not in vogue in her father's family, she refrained from it."
PUBLIC APPC.IR.INCE OF WOMEN In early days as a whole there was nothing like modern purdah systemi in existence, though there were certain restrictions on the movement of women. Javaniyā or the curtain is mentioned in the Jain texts. It 18 stated that Tisală sat behind the curtain and listened to the interprctations of dreams.73 But on the whole we find that women appeared in the public without any restriction. They could go out to visit their friends and relations. Many women are seen going to the jakkha and other shrines for worship and gathering on the occasion of various festivals. We hear that king Kūniya visited Mahāvīra along with his queens," In the case of prince-converts we find them being taken to Mahāvīra by the king and the queen who made a joint gift of their son to the Teacher.74
We also come across women dressed in man's attire, putting on armour, equipped with weapons, arms, shields, bows and arrows." There are examples when women actually fought battles. We hear of a certain queen who fought a battle in the disguise of her lord.10
THE POSITION OF THE GANIKAS Secular prostitution in India is very old institution and dates back from the time of the Rgveda where the term nrtu occurs denoting a female "dancer"?? In the Vajasaneyī Samhita it seems to be recognised as a pro
71 pp 468-9. 73 p. 29 f. For the Satı custom, see Altekar, op. cit., Chapter IV. Ta Kalpa. 4. 63; also Nāya. 1, p. 8. 78a Ová. Sú 33, p. 144. * For Purdah system in ancient India, See Altekar, op. cit., pp. 186-211,
Vilai 3, p. 23. Vya. Bhd. 1, p. 100 2: Vedic Index, I, p. 457
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