Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

Page 248

Sec. V]
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
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with the other maid-servants of all ranks were integrated into the household and treated as members of the family, although they held an inferior position in the domestic relation.
There is an instance of the removal of slavery of some female slaves by king Bala of Hastināpura on the occasion of the birth of his son, Mabābala, as already mentioned in connection with the celebration of birth ceremony'.
But the fact remains there that the slavery was a recognized institution maintained by the kings, rich aristocrats and wealthy merchants of the society as known to the BS. Though there was this general prevailing custom, yet the evidence of manumission of slavery shows that a moral consciousness was growing in the society.
Thus the text presents a picture of position of women appearing in their different capacities in the civic life. Women as Courtesan and prostitute
The women figure also as courtesand and public prostitute? in the civic life as depicted in the Bhs.
The term Ganiyā as used here denotes a courtesan who had the privilege to be the member of the royal retinue. Formerly it signified a female member of the Gana (clan) who was the beauty queen for the enjoyment of the whole assembly of the people, united together by a common social, economic and political relationship.
This view seems to be supported by the Vinayavastu of the Milasarvāstivāda' which states that Amrapali was the common courtesan of the Ganarājas of the Varśālian Republic as the object of enjoyment of the Gana (Ganabhogyā).
Manu also associates together the Gana and the Gaạikā whose food is condemned by the scholars.
1 Bhs, 9, 33, 383; 9, 33, 385 ; 11, 11, 429. ? Ib, 8, 5, 330 (Asati); 15, 1, 560 (Kharittā). 3 Ib, 11, 11, 429 (Ganiyāvara). 4 Cakladar-Studies in Vätsyāyana's Kāma-Sutra, p. 199 f.
Vasu., p. 103. 5 Vinayavastu of Mulasarvastivāda, p. 17 f,