[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [The World of Courtesans](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973) › c4.26 # The World of Courtesans c4.26 The World of Courtesans c4.26 - **Language:** English ### [c4.26](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c4.26) In the Gupta period still more fanciful origins of prostitution were suggested. The \*Brihatkatha Sloka Samgraha\* relates that the universal monarch Bharata took away forcibly the daughters of the Ocean with a view to marrying them all, but later he decided to take for himself only one wife. Therefore, he divided the rest into eight \*ganas\* and for each \*gana\* he appointed a head and he bestowed on her the prerogative of using an umbrella, \*chauri\* and seat (\*asana\*), and she was called a \*mahaganika\*. In the hierarchy of courtesans the \*kumbhadasi\* occupied the lowest place and the \*ganika\* the highest. - [Previous: c4.25](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c4.25) - [Next: c4.27](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c4.27) - [Up: c4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c4) ## Linked texts (1) - [Bṛhatkathāślokasaṃgraha](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.brhatkatha.slokasangraha) — Budhasvāmin, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c4.26](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c4.26) · Pramāṇa