16 



ON HYGIENE IN 



north-east of the city, and in a crooked defile, the physician 

 Jivaka erected a vihara or monastery in the'garden of Amba- 

 pati, a celebrated and very beautiful courtesan, and invited 

 not only twelve hundred and fifty disciples of Buddha, 

 but the sage himself to " receive her religious offerings." 

 Buddha accepted this invitation and received from the fair 

 donor Amramaya the garden. The inference is clear that no 

 disgrace was attached to the profession of a courtesan as such. 

 During the Brahminic period the " chief courtesan " of the 

 city of Ujain was a person of great importance. It also 

 appears that then the prosperity of the luxurious cities of 

 India often depended upon the attractions of the lady who 

 held that " proud pre-eminence," and her power of alluring 

 the rich nobles and merchants from the surrounding countries. 

 Thus it is said " a princess of rare beauty and accomplish- 

 ments was sometimes appointed to fill so equivocal a posi- 

 tion." Nor was the courtesan always unacknowledged by 

 the wife, the Hindu drama indicating that ladies of that 

 class occasionally were recognised as part of the domestic 

 establishment, with such results to comfort and happiness as 

 may be readily imagined. When, early in the eleventh 

 century, Somnath was captured by Mahmud, five hundred 

 damsels, many of whom were daughters of rajahs, were found 

 dwelling therein, their occupation being to dance and sing 

 before the idol pillar. Parents consecrate their daughters 

 even nowadays to the service of the deity in particular 

 temples, where these often become mistresses to the priests 

 and lead a life of prostitution. 



With regard to the sanitary aspects of polygamy in 

 ancient Asiatic nations, they are thus described by Eawlinson : 

 " Polygamy destroys the domestic affections by diluting 

 them ; degrades and injures the moral character of those 

 who give its tone to the nation ; lowers the physical energy 

 and renders the people self-indulgent and indolent. Among 



