Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c12.s7.t2.3

c12.s7.t2.3

The desire to eat meat to fulfil the pregnancy longing seems to be very common. We are told of a woman who had a pregnancy longing to relish various kinds of wine and flesh of various cattle ²⁸ We know of Cellanā, who had a chronic longing to eat the flesh of her husband's belly together with wine When prince Abhaya came to know this, he sent a confidential man to get fresh meat, blood and the entrails from a slaughter house (*ghāyatthāna*) ²⁹ This flesh was placed on the belly of the king who pretended to be unconscious ³⁰ The king simulated that the meat came from his body and thus satisfied the longing of the queen. Then we are told of queen Sudamsanā, who went to visit the painting-hall where having seen the painted deer she had a craving to eat their flesh ³¹ Khandasiri was another woman who had a desire to taste plenty of food, drink, spices, sweetmeats and wine.³²