World Of Jainism

Author(s): Vishwanath Pandey
Publisher: Vishwanath Pandey

Page 39

THE WORLD OF JAINISM
37
In the days bygone, mostly the brides who had reached maturity, were considered marriageable. It is only because of this that a lady was given an option to stipulate condition of her own the fulfilment of which settled the marriage. The condition laid down by her aimed at the assessment of the would-be bridegroom's ability and integrity (op. cit. p. 126; p. 371).
In the Jaina story literature, there are accounts of the Vidyadhara brides being married to people of this earth. There are more than one theories regarding origin and the kind of these Vidyadharas. Two theories are commonly advanced. According to one, the Vidyadharas are something of semi-gods who dwelt in the mountainous ranges forming part of Vijayardha and visited in their aerial cars, occasionally this world of ours for pleasures and diversions or for accomplishing some special aim or object. According to the other, the Vidyadharas are human beings but uncommon in spirit and strength (see the story of Vajrakumara in the Aradhanakathakosa, part I p. 121).
These stories of the Jainas reflecting the atmosphere of the feudal barons and princes do not miss to castigate the amorous nature of those princes, rulers, kings and chieftains. These lords threw off, occasionally, the fetters of marriage and went out of their way to satisfy their lust, sometimes with the brides of the Mlecchas even. Though they had kept monogamy as their ideal, they did not hesitate to go in for polygamy even.
Food and Dress
There are references to be found in the narrative literature of the Jainas about the fourfold caste system. Sometimes, the Shudras were divided into two categories, namely touchable and untouchable. On account of this, food and drink also differed according to the kind of the caste. Harmless but substantial food found place in the dietary of the Jainas. Some of the non-Jainas took to meat-eating and flesh-eating also. They took nourishing food as they were health-conscious (Punyasravakathakosa, p. 276). Sweetmeats, mostly made up of ghee and sugar were in vogue. In the villages, people subsisted on an article of food called Sattu while the prisoners were given rice of inferior type (see Do Hajar Varsha Purani Kahanian by Dr. J. C. Jain pp. 41, 91, 96, 125). As the financial position permitted, people used to put on costumes, apparel and ornaments of various descriptions and manufacture in order to satisfy their tastes. They also kept their bodies clean and perfumed, applying various types of unguents, anoinments and scented powders. The fashion of chewing beatle-leaves, applying scents and attars, and putting on fancy garments and