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Position of Women鈥�Jainism put no barriers to the entry of woman to the monastic order, which reveals a liberal outlook on the part of Jaina Saviours who believed in spiritual equality. Still, on a close examination of the administrative set up of the order of nums reveals that they were looked upon to be on a lower level than that of the monks. A similar type of mixed attitude towards women is revealed also in the Vasudevahindi Two stories related in the Dhammillahimdi of Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa stand good examples of this particular attitude of Jaina monks towards women. Attitude towards Women Agadadatta¹, a charioteer turned into a monk, makes caustic remains on the character of women, which were expressed as an effect of a very cruel personal tragedy. He says, "It is easy for the wise to measure the height of the Himalayas, the capacity of the sea, may, even the 1. The story of Agadadatta is very popular in Jaina literature and has been translated and included in the Hindu Tales by Jacobi, a translation of which in English is done by J.J.Meyer.

197 particles m particulars of sand on the banks of the Ganga. But it is not so in the case of the heart of woman. Woman is not worth losing one's life for. She not only impedes your t"! The person life in this world but also in the next". making these remarks had got a terrible shock when he came to know through robbers that his wife was ready to kill him to save her own life. and Even after hearing the story of Agadadatta, inspite of his bad experience about women, experience about women, Dhammilla is not ready to accept the former's opinions about woman in toto. He explains the behaviour of Agadadatta's wife as an extreme case. With the help of the story of Dhanasiri², who was the wife of a trader, he tried to show the other side of the coin. in general. Immediately after her marriage, Dhanasiri was deserted by her husband, as he had a grudge against woman The grudge had resulted and had penetrated deep into his heart because of the misbehaviour of his own mother. Dhanasiri not only remained chaste during his long son journ of twelve years but had gone to the extent of murdering a royal official who wanted to violate her chastity. 1 Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 49. 2. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 49-52.

198 Dhammila himself was driven out of her house by a courtezan after every farthing of his was taken away by her¹. Overlordship of the Husband : the In her self-arranged marriage rites, Vegavati at the ends declared, "...From to day onwards he is my god An (devayam)and has right over even on my life"². Attitude of this type on the part of the wife was supposed to be praise-worthy not only in this but also in the other world ³. This belief in the overlordship of the husband is reflected in the statement of Saccabhama, who declares that the issues of the wife who is loved sincerely by her husband are like the husband, while those of the wife not loved by her husband are not good-looking. In the Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, it is shown how every care was taken by the wife to show modesty to her husband, even in messages sent to him. Acchara, one of the wives of Vasudeva, sent a message to Vasudeva with one of her maidservants. The message was worded that Vasudeva was 'called' (saddaveti) 1. Ibid., 34. 2. Ibid., 226. 3. Ibid.; 227. 4. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa 97.

199 to a bower in pamadavana. Vasudeva takes the word 'Saddaveti' as an insult, since the term 'saddaveti' was employed only in the case of a servant. As a result, he did not go to the garden 1. So also, when the husband was to go out on a journey, wives touched his feet and circumambulated around him² him' On his return they greeted him in a similar way. He in return embraced them Polygamy and Co-wives : 鈥� In the Vasudevahindi(F), examples of Siva+, Samba 5 Kanha Vakkalaciri?, and the two heroes Vasudeva and Dhammilla g 9 6 all of them princess-show that in royal families polygamy was prevalent. The exam les of Jambu and an ibbhaputta show that the merchants' class was also polygamous. This resulted 10 in the malicious relationship among the co-wives though some examples of good treatment being given to juniors by the senior wives are not rare. 1. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II.121b. 3. Ibid.; 1.4a. 5. Ibid.; 109. 7. Ibid., 19. 9. Ibid., 70. 2. Ibid., 1.16a. 4. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa,23. 6. Ibid., 78-79. 8. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 7. 10. Ibid., 66,83,97.

200 The Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, which relates Vasudeva's exploits in acquiring seventy-one wives from various families, offers more pieces of information. Vasudeva had to follow a particular type of code while maintaining judicious treatment to all of his wives. On his return from the journey he greeted them according to their seniority (anuparivadi)¹. Co-wives, as is natural, always tried to find fault with each other and managed to bring disfavour to others (kusale vi akusalakari). Yet they were expected to live together like sisters. In fact, they greeted each other by embracing in the manner of sisters (kamthalagga)². The Ideal of a Kulavadhu : A kulavadhu attended on her husband as if he were a deity throughout her life, irrespective of his appearance, merits or intelligence³. A maiden born in a high family remained behind the curtain (javaniya) while attending a public function +. She could, however, reveal her face 5 to others while moving out of the city in a covered cart. 1. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II.52b. A 2. Ibid., 1.46a. 3. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 227. Similar view is expressed in the Kamasutra of Vatsyayana and the Matsya Purana. See HCIP, Vol. III, pp. 563, 565. 4. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 128. 5. Ibid., 101.

201 different In the Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, the same ideal is presented in other words. A woman was expected to be devoted to her husband (padibhatta). She was not to think of any other Man person. Damadamti who is described to have such a devotion towards her husband, is represented as not being attacked by lions or serpents in the forest¹. The nurse of Bamdhumati, who was one of the wives of Vasudeva, tells her that the husband is superior even to monks, kings or gods². The practice of women from the royal family remaining behind the curtain seems to have continued in the periods ³ of both the Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa and the Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa 4 The Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa quotes instances of loose behaviour of women from various classes of the society: the royal 4 the Brahmana, and the Vaisya. It was, therefore, essential that there should be certain checks on the freedom of women even in general. This is suggested by the story of Vasudatta, who has to suffer a lot because of her not listening to the advice of elders in the family 7. That the fidelity 1. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, 11.63b. Similar passages occur in the Nala-Damayanti akhyana and the Dasakumara carita, HCIP Vol. IV,p.555. 2. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I.10b. 4. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 9, 54. 6. Ibid., 233. 3. Ibid.; II.203b. 5. Ibid., 14, 31. 7. Ibid.; 61.

202 of a wife towards her husband was valued very much is clear from the story of the trader Nagasena- and priest Karalapimga 2. According to both these stories the persons who tried to violate the chastity of married women had to face death. faithful The wife was supposed to be fidal to her husband so much so that she was expected to give herself to flames along with her husband after his death³. loyal According to the Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, a fidel wife prayed that she should get the same husband in the next birth 4. Pabhavati, one of the wives of Vasudeva, is represented as a faithful fidel wife, who becomes ready to put an end to her life by jumping over a precipice (bhigupavayana) with the head of va 5. Vasudeva' Wife in Separation : Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa states that during the absence of the husband the wife was not supposed to indulge in any sort of toilet in the form of good dress, ornaments, or flowers. She was to have her hair arranged in a simple 1. Ibid., 233. 2. Ibid., 296; see also a version of the story of Ahalya in the Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, on p. 292. 3. Ibid., 140, 150. 5. Ibid. 1.36. 4. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I.19b.

203 braid, and was allowed to put on some small ornament displaying auspiciousness. She As such, according to the Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, princess Somasiri, when kidnapped and separated from Vasudeva, lived in a simple manner. She did not pay any attention to her appearance, nor did she put on any ornaments. wore soiled clothes and arranged her hair in a simple braid. She lessened her material requirements, slept on kusa grass and ate simple food like ayambila².