A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s3.t1.159

v2.c19.s3.t1.159

These parables are of the utmost importance from the point of view of social history, for they often introduce us into the midst of the daily life of the ancient Indians, of the artisans, agriculturists and merchants, of whom Brahmanical literature, which moves almost entirely in the circles of priests and warriors, has so little to say.¹ We find similes of the coachman and charioteer, the dice-player, the preparation of sesame-oil, etc. In one simile (Majjh. 140) is described the whole of the work of the goldsmith, in another (Majjh. 125) the whole procedure of elephant-taming, and again in another (Majjh. 101) the whole process of curing a person wounded by a poisoned arrow.