The World of Courtesans c6.20

c6.20

From another reference it is clear that the *goshthis* employed a number of ordinary prostitutes who satisfied the lust of its members. Unoccupied houses were used as meeting places by such voluptuaries. It is said that Mahavira in the course of his wanderings with Goshala happened to stay in an empty house. Simha, the son of the village headman, also chanced to come there with a slave girl in the employment of a *goshthi* (*goshthidasi*). He announced that if any traveller, Brahman or monk happened to be staying there, he should proceed to some other place. As he received no response from anyone, he made love to the prostitute there and then, but while leaving the place her body came in contact with that of Goshala. An alarm was raised and poor Goshala received a beating from Simha.