Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

Page 640

Sec. II] STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA 615
In regard to the position of women' it is revealed that they occupied three positions in the society in which they appeared in different capacities pertaining to the family and civic life. The first one was the exalted position of honour and dignity as maiden, wife, mother, queen-regent, religious student, teacher and nun ; the second was inferior to the first one as members of the palace-staff belonging to all grades, including the female slaves and courtesans ; and the third was the most humiliating status as prostitute in the larger civic life.
The BhS gives a graphic account of popular belief of the people in dreams, the course of nursing the embryo of a future child, followed by a mother during her pregnancy, celebration of the birth ceremony of a new born son, his education and marriage performed with all social rites and customs.
As regards food and drinks it is found that two kinds of general meal were commonly enjoyed by the people, viz. eatable solid and drinkable liquid food under the category of which come the four classes of food, viz. asana (solid food), päņa (drink), sāim and khāima (sweets & dainties).
This canonical work provides a list of various kinds of food and drink produced and consumed by the people of its society, such as, cooked food—íuddhodana (pure rice), astādaśavyanjana (eighteen kinds of sauce), paramānna (best rice cooked with ghee and honey), etc., uncooked food-fruits, milk, butter, clarified butter, honey, etc.
It presents an account of dresses and ornaments, bath, art of decoration and toilet generally used by the members of the royal and rich aristocratic families. The observance of cleanliness of the body was a regular practice with the people, as it is evidenced by the fact of their taking bath before starting any kind of work. The BS provides a long list of houses and articles of furniture and presents a pictorial description of town. Lastly, it gives an
i Vide, Ch. IV, Sec. 4, s Vide, Ch. IV, Seç. 6.
i Vide, Ch. IV, Sec. 5. u Pide, Ch. IV, Seç. 7, :