Life in Ancient India as Depicted in Jain Canons

SR No.: 011077
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jagdishchandra Jain
Publisher: New Book Company
Publication Year: 1947
Total Pages: 429
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

Page 94

LIFE IN ANCIENT INDIA
Among fibre-yielding plants cotton (kappasa) was the mostimportant 44 Among other kinds of fabrics silk, wool (unniya), linen (khoma) and hemp (sana) may be mentioned.46 Salı or sälmali trees which yielded a silky fibre were known.48
Probably indigo (guliya) *7 and such other chemical dyes were produccd; the mention of a variety of colours leads us to believe in their existence.
Betel (tambola) 49 and arecca-nut (pūyaphlı) 50 were known. A large number of vegetables were grown Brinjal, cucumber, radish, palanka (mod palak), karella (mod. karela), tuber roots (äluga), waternuts (drngalaka, mod. szighoda), onion, garlic and gourd may be mentioned Vegetable-gardens (kaccha) were known where radish, cucumber etc., were grown".
Despite these precautions, famines occured mainly on account of scarcity of rain We have referred to a long famine which broke out in Pādaliputta during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. Uttarāpatha was visited by another famine during the time of Vairasāmi 64 Still anothcı famine is mentioned in Dakkhināvaha which is said to have lasted for a long time.56 The Vyavahara Bhasya preserves a tradition of still another famine in Kosala when a certain sråvaka, who had hoarded plenty of grain, did not allow the five hundred Jain monks to leave the country during the famine Later on, however, when the prices of grain went up he sold huis grain and the sådhus for want of food committed suicide and were devoured zby vultures 58 During famine people even sold their children 57
The failure of crops or scarcity of food was also due to floods which caused severe distress to the people. The Titthogālı gives a graphic description of the flood in Pädalıputta which created havoc.68 The flood in Kāncanapura is recorded in the Vyavahāra Bhasyase. The destruction of Srāvasti due to frequent overflowing of Aciravati is mentioned
3, P 20)
4 Cf Uttarit Ti 4 p 78a 45 See infra, chapter on Dress 48 PM
Panna í 23 31, Ultaa, 10 32, Süya , 6 18. 47 Nani , 1, p 10 48 Kinha, nila, lohryn haladda and sukilla are mentioned (Raya, 49 Uu, , P9 50 Panad, 1. 23 35 31 ibid, 1 23 18-9, 267, 37-8,43ff, Ulsară Să, 36 90 ff 63" Näyà, 16, p 163 39 Ica II 3 3 350 54 Ava cu ,p 396 65 ibid ,p 404 68 Vya Bhi, 10 557-60 67 Mahi N, P 28 59 Kalyan Vijaya Vira Nirvana, p 42. ff 50 10.450 60 See infra, Section V under Kunälä.