Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c15.s2.30

c15.s2.30

Among other superstitions the following may be mentioned the newly born babes were put under the cart for procuring a long life.¹⁴⁰ People put on moist robes while visiting sacred places¹⁴¹ or great persons.¹⁴² We read of the mother of Meghakumāra who at the time of renunciation of her son, collected his hair in a fine cloth, washed them with scented water, put over them the marks of five fingers, moistened with *gosīsa* sandal and tied them in a piece of white cloth. Then she kept them in a jewelled casket which she kept under his pillow with the hope of having a look at them on the occasions of various feasts and festivals.¹⁴³ The priests were employed to perform sacrifice for warding off evil.¹⁴⁴ Then, at the death of a monk various superstitions were observed such as spreading of grass and making images with ashes, brick powder or *nāgakesara* near the dead body.¹⁴⁵ *Chinna* (rending of clothes) was considered another superstition. It is said that when a cloth is smeared with collyrium or lamp-black or dirt, gnawed by rats, burnt by fire, destroyed or eaten at the borders, there arises a good or evil result out of that.¹⁴⁶ Then in a newly constructed house the living of the monks was considered auspicious and the entrance of the doves inauspicious.¹⁴⁷