Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

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STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
[Ch. IV
As householder one of them named Rṣabhadatta1 could even afford the luxury of maintaining a large contingent of waiting servants, maids and female slaves belonging to many Indian tribes and foreign nationalities, such as, Cilātikās (Kirātikā), Barbarikās, Ṛṣiganikās, Vasaganikās, Pallavikās, Lhāsikās, Lausikas, Arabis, Dravidis, Simghalis, Pulindis, Puskalis, Sabaris and Parasis, etc.
Another Brāhmaṇa, Gobahula by name, was in possession of a large number of cows kept in a big cowshed at Saravana near Nalanda where Gośāla Mankhaliputra, the Ajivikaa leader was born.
The third Brahmana named Bahula living in Kollāga Sannivesa (a quarter of the town) outside Nālandā is said to have entertained and honoured Lord Mahāvīra with abundant best food (paramāņṇa) mixed with honey and clarified butter (ghaya) on the day of conclusion of his fourth fast of one month during the period of his austerities (cautt hamasakkhaman), when he went out of the weaver's workshop for begging alms.
The fourth Brahmana, Somila" by name lived in Vanijya. grāma (Vāṇiyagama) by officiating at worship and exercising his spiritual leadership over five hundred disciples of his own and of his relatives together.
Other Brahmanas figure in the society as depicted in this canonical work as interpreters of marks of dream (Suvinalakkhanapaḍhaga), propitiators (Balikario) and ascetics (Tavasa) as already mentioned.
It is learnt from the BhS that Rṣabhadatta and Devānandā, the Brahmana and the Brahmanī undertook the state of houselessness by renouncing the world, after getting initiated by
1 BhS, 9. 33, 380; 9, 33, 382.
2 Ib, (Their identifications will be discussed in the Chapter
on History).
3 Ib. 15. 1, 540.
5 Ib, 18, 10, 647.
4 Ib, 15, 1, 541.
6 Ib, 11, 11, 428.
77b, 11, 11, 430.
8 Ib, (Mahana), 8, 6, 332; 11, 9, 417 (Tāvas).