Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c17.s3.t1.1

v2.c17.s3.t1.1

With these general notions of the aims and means of the Hindu Dharma, we may now ascertain, with the fragmentary evidence before us, a few facts concerning life in a Vijayanagara family. There is reason to believe that in the earliest periods of Indian history, the conception of home or family life was highly elevated, embracing as it did relationship in blood as well as in service. We have a pleasant glimpse of such a state of life in the edicts of Aśōka.² Even in the seventh century A. D., the Hindu home was not much shorn of its antique simplicity. Bāṇa in his description of his own life gives us a sketch of the stages through which a diligent Brahman passed;³ and in the following account he tells us that "the religious mendicants were intent on worshipping the shrines, having washed their feet and hands in the outpour of their water-pots; the fire, with the sacred grass spread round it, was blazing up, with its hands purified by the sacrificial vessels."⁴ Then, again, he speaks of the little folk at home : "the children were beginning to long to go to sleep, having enjoyed a good lying in bed while listening to the long stories of the old nurse", when the dreadful mouth of early night was beginning to yawn. Rājyavardhana lay down his sword in sorrow; and Harsha, perplexed and pained at his brother's attitude, gave vent to his feelings in an admirable soliloquy, in the course of which he gave further proof of the great love he bore to his brother.