Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

Page 273

248 STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SỬTRA [Ch. IV themselves with costly ornaments of many kinds, particularly the ladies of the royal and rich aristocratic families put on various ornaments to beautify the different parts of their bodies from the head to the ankle.
Ornaments of the male persons, especially the kings and princes, consisted of crown (mauda)', necklace (hāra) and other articles and garlands, while those of the women were as follows:
Crown (mauda), car-ring (kurdala), necklace of pearls (hāra), half-necklace (addhaltāra), one-stringed necklace of gems (egāvali). Thus that of pearl (muttāvali), that of gold (kanagāvalī), that of jewel (rayaņāvali), torque round the breast (urattha) in addition to the flat triangular necklace, necklace (kanthasutta),' bracelets (kadagajoe), white bracelets (dhavala-ralaya),' ring (khuddāgal, girdle of gems (manimehalā)," a string round the loins (sonisuttaga)," anklet (neura),18 and various ornaments of precious metals,
The account of the ornaments of the male and female is also found in the other Jaina texts.
The Uvāsagadasão mentions the minimum requirement of most essential ornaments for a person like Ananda of Vānijyagrāma after his taking the vow before Lord Mahāvīra to observe the religious rules as his lay disciple.
It is stated there that he used to wear various kinds of costly ornamentais previously, but after the taking of the vow he "limited himself to his use of personal ornaments," saying, "Excepting smoothly polished ear pendants and a finger ring engraved with my name, I renounce the use of every other kind of ornament" 16.
1 Bhs, 9, 33, 385 ; 11, 11, 428. 4 lb, 11, 11, 430. 6 10, 11, 11, 430. 6.7 Ib, 9, 33, 380. 9 16, 9, 33, 384. 10_18 1b, 9, 33, 380. 15 U vasagadasão 9, p. 9 (Lec. 1, 6, 9). 16 Uvāsagadasão 31, 25-35, p. 17.
23 16, 9, 33, 385. 8 10, 11, 11, 430. 14 10, 9, 33, 385.