Essay name: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
Author: A. D. Pusalker
This book studies Bhasa, the author of thirteen plays ascribed found in the Trivandrum Sanskrit Series. These works largely adhere to the rules of traditional Indian theatrics known as Natya-Shastra.
Page 406 of: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
406 (of 564)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
386
house. So at the most the custom was partially in
existence in the case of only a few women in the Mauryan
age.
2 In our plays there are some references which suggest
that there was a system during those days, analogous to
the present purdah system the veiling cloth covering the
whole face including the head. But there is nothing to
indicate that the other evils of the purdah system, such
as the seclusion of women, their permanent confinement
to the inner apartments, etc., which were the invariable
concomitants of the purdah system were present. It
appears that women simply covered their faces to avoid
the sinful glances of the commoners. Maidens had no
veils. They moved freely. The covering of the head was
not used by widows. The R膩m膩ya峁嘺 quotation explained
above is similar to the one found in our plays; but as we
find another reference to veils (avagunthanas) we are
inclined to hold that at the time of our poet women used
to cover their faces. Not only ladies of royalty and the
gentry, but courtesans also were veiled when they passed
in carriages. It may be noted that the purdah system
all its implications as introduced by the Mahomedans
was quite unknown to the Indians before the entry of the
Mahomedans.
with
On the whole, it is our considered opinion that
women received a fair and honourable treatment in those
days.
p. xliii;
1 Introductory Essay to "Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity"
Artha艣膩stra, pp. 114, 147 - 啶呧え啶苦し啷嵿啶距じ啶苦え啷嵿く啶� [补苍颈峁腻蝉颈苍测补岣�] ; 啶え啶苦し啷嵿啶距じ啶苦え啷�啶ㄠぞ啶 啷� [bhani峁膩sin墨n膩m | ] 2 Prat, p. 36-
啶呧お啶ㄠ啶い啶距ぎ啶掂啷佮ぃ啷嵿啶ㄠぎ啷� [补辫补苍墨测补迟腻尘补惫补驳耻峁囜弓丑补苍补尘 ] 1; Swapna, p. 140- 啶膏啶曕啶粪た啶啶い啶距 啶さ啶ㄠた啶曕ぞ 啷� [sa峁僰峁pyat膩峁� yavanik膩 | ] ; Uru, st. 38- 啶啶班啶距ざ啷赌-
啶曕啶むぎ啷傕ぐ啷嵿ぇ啶溹ぞ啶ㄠた 啷� [辫谤补办腻艣墨-
k峁泃am奴rdhaj膩ni | ] 3 Prat, I. 29 鈥� 啶ㄠた啶班啶︵啶粪う啷冟ざ啷嵿く啶� 啶灌た 啶さ啶ㄠ啶むた 啶ㄠぞ啶班啶 啶啷嵿啷� 啶掂た啶掂ぞ啶灌 啶掂啶じ啶ㄠ 啶掂え啷� 啶� 啷�
[nirdo峁d峁浥泍膩 hi bhavanti n膩ryo yaj帽e viv膩he vyasane vane ca |
] Prat, p. 36鈥�啶呧お啶ㄠ啶い啶距ぎ啶掂啷佮ぃ啷嵿啶ㄠぎ啷� 啷� [补辫补苍墨测补迟腻尘补惫补驳耻峁囜弓丑补苍补尘 | ] 4 C膩r p. 89 鈥�啶椸す啷�啶︵ぞ啶掂啶｀啶犩ぃ啶� 啷�
[gah墨d膩vau峁囜弓ha峁嚹� |
]
