The World of Courtesans c4.50

c4.50

It is evident from the *Puranas* and *Smritis* that prostitutes constituted themselves later into a separate caste. The Mitakshara commentary on *Yaj.* II. 290 quotes the *Skanda Purana* as saying that prostitutes constitute a separate caste springing from the nymph Panchachuda and as such they did not commit any sin and did not merit punishment if they had intercourse with men of the same caste or of a superior caste, and men approaching them did not incur any penalty if they did not happen to be concubines. Men, however, who visited the latter committed sin and the *prajapatya* penance was prescribed for them.