Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

Page 240

Sec. V]
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
regard to these presents which they could use independently according to their desires.
But it does not throw any light upon their right of inheritance to their husband's property.
The above evidence further shows that the married woman in the royal family had to bear the presence of her co-wives, because polygamy was the prevailing custom and fashion among the ruling Ksatriya princes of those days, as it is evidenced in the cases of Mahabala1 and Jamāli.2
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But in the BhS there is not a single instance to cite that the practice of polygamy existed among the members of the other castes belonging to the high, low, and middle class families respectively. On the other hand it is found that the married wife was the sole mistress of the household affairs there as the co-partner of her husband in all conditions of life.
Though the text does not throw any light upon the breach of peace in the royal families of the princes, Mahabala and Jamali due to polygamy practised by them, yet it may be presumed that the existence and growth of this system might have caused the suppression of the natural freedom of women and thus degraded their position as wife in those ruling Ksatriya families in course of time.
It is to be observed further that the BhS does not tell anything about the conditions of the eight wives of the respective princes, Mahabala and Jamali, after their undertaking of the state of houselessness.
The union of eight wives of different sentiments, behaviours, cultures and education must have changed the whole character of the royal family and consequently lowered their status also, as it is evidenced by the fact of accomodating and
1 Bhs, 11, 11, 430.
2 Ib, 9, 33, 384.
3 Ib, 9, 33, 380-82 (Refer to Rṣabhadatta and Devananda).
4 Ib, 15, 1, 540 (Refer to Mankhali and Bhadra).
Ib, 12, 1, 438 (Sankha and Utpala); 15, 1, 557 (Revati). 6 Ib, 11, 11, 430. 7 1b, 9, 33, 384.