Life in Ancient India as Depicted in Jain Canons

Author(s): Jagdishchandra Jain
Publisher: New Book Company

Page 58

LIFE IN ANCIENT ENDLA
2. A varisadhara was another guard of the harem. It is said that his testicles were removed by surgical operation (vaddhia) since childhood. 48
3 A mahattara was an executive officer of the harem. He took the ladies of the harem to the king, told them stories after their menstruation bath, pacified their anger and reported the cause of the anger to the king.47
4 A dandadhara carried a staff in his hand and kept a watch over the harem 48
5 A dandārakkhiya, with the permission of the king took a man er a woman into the harem.48 6 A dovāriya sat at the entrance of the harem with a staff in his hand.50
It is to be noted, however, that inspite of the strictest precautions, the women of the harem were often corrupt and immoral to a degree, and such affairs had scrious repurcussions on the affairs of the state. We come across ministers who had illicit connections with the queens.52 By bribing the servants the merchants could get entry into the harem. We are told that king Gunacandra of Srinilayanagara punished a merchant for such an offence.52 We are told that when king Seniya of Rayagiha could not get Sujetthā in marriage, he sent Abhayakumāra to Vesāli, who began to live near the royal harem, in the disguise of a merchant. There he established contact with the maid-servants of the harem and managed to kidnap Cellanā.58 Then we are told that all inmates of king Pajjoya's harem except Sivă were violated by Mahissara.54 The Byhatkalpa Bhasya refers to the girls of the king's harem who used to talk with outsiders from the windows; one day they escaped with their loyers unnoticed. The prohibition of the monkeys in the harem also shows that the king used to take every precaution to guard the chastity of the inmates of the harem.56
46 Bth Bhi , 4 5167, Nusi, cũ, 9. PP 508, 729, Rāya Sü, Ti., 210. The other methods of making impotent were rubbing the lesticles with thumb, the fore-finger and the middle finger and making them ineffective by medicine (appiya), Brh Bha , 4 5167
41 Nuss cũ, p 508, kañcukiva and mahallankā are mentioned by Vätsyāyana, who were employed in the harems of kings They were employed by the queens in sending messages accompanied by various presents to the king , Chakladar, Studies in the Kamasutra, p. 109
48 Abhidlvinarājendrakosa, under dandadhara' 49 Ibud under dandārakkhiya'
50 Ova , 7 p. 25 According to the Mätanga fataka (IV, No. 497, p. 382), the duty of a dovāniya was to thrash candālas or similar vagabonds who wanted to peep at the palace, with sticks or bamboo posts, catch them by the throat and fling them on the ground.
61 See Vivă, 6 P 35 In thc Jalakas a minister guilty of misconduct in the harem, 19 asked to leave the town He migrates to Kosala and becomes a confidential advisor of the Kosalan king when he instigales border raids and a regular invasion against his old master (Ghala fätaka, No 355, III, P 168 , also Mahisilava Jataka, No. 51, I, P 262).
67 Pinda Nir Ti, 127, P 48 a 68 Ava cū, II, 165 f. 14 abd , II, p 176. 66 1. 991 f. 50 brd., 5. 5928.