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ŚRNGĀRAMANJARIKATHA
tory, and they are described as dishonest, corrupt and disreputable administrators.
It seems that actresses personated female parts on the stage, and they were experts in their art. There are references to fortunetellers (sakunika) and persons proficient in magic (indrajālika-vidyi) and mesmerism (mohana-vidyā).
Of men following other professions we hear of the oilman (tailika) doing his hereditary work and prospering in it. The medicine man (vaidya), agriculturist (karşakajana), smith (lohakāra), weaver (tantuvāya), keeper of the gambling house (sabhika). The slaughter house (sünü) is mentioned, along with the barbar (näpita) and the hunter (vyādha).
The picture of the countryside is roseate and rich. Agricultural prosperity is evident in the descriptions of the emerald-like greeti rice-fields protected by the kalamagopikās, the barely fields and forests of sugarcane. The return of the cattle in the evenings from the rich pasture lands was inferred from the tinkling of the bells. Wood for fuel was available in plenty from the forests.
Outside the cities, in these simple surrounding dwelt the vil. lagers (Kārvațas) and along the seacoasts the sea-faring men (Velikūlas). The forests were full of the Sabaras. An interesting ethnological description of the Sabaras is given thus at one place. They were well-built and dark in colour. They had snub noses, high cheekbones, pointed chins and small ears. Their eyes were red-shot and wide open and their eyebrows were knitted. With curly hair 2 with sparsely growing beards, with peacocks' feathers tied to their hair, with bows and arrows in hand, blowing horns and marching in groups they frightened away not only the travellers but also the wild beasts.
The Kirātas, the Barbaras and the Bhillas also had their residences (pallīs) in the forests, which could be marked even from a distance during the mornings due to the sweet songs of the womenfolk while pounding barley and rice at their doors.
These are the divisions of classes and professions. But the members of respectable classes referred to in the text are only the men about the town (nāgaraka) who led easy-going and sophisticated lives, basking in luxury. Vātsyāyana has devoted a whole chapter to the description of the Nāgaraka's life and we have a contemporaneous literary record to the effect that it was a favourite pastime of such men to indulge in the science of Erotics day and night.
For company, they had hangers-on like the Vițas, 34 Dhūrtas, Dindikas and the Şingas who were ever ready to help them in their 34. Padmagupta, Navasähasankacarita, I, 30.
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