History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.299.3

v4.c62.299.3

His disciples were to proclaim that he possessed supernatural powers, he should pretend to make predictions about gain or fires or fear from robbers after ascertaining from his pupils by nods and signs such events. In I. 12 Kauṭ. deals with wandering spies (called *sañcara*) viz. *sattrins* (who are orphans that are to be maintained by the State and that are taught palmistry, sorcery, tricks of legerdemain &c.), *tīkṣṇa* (desperadoes who, regardless of their lives, may fight elephants for money), *rasada* (who have no affection even for their relatives, are indolent and cruel), *bhikṣukī* or *parivrājikā* (a poor brāhmaṇa widow, clever and desirous to earn her livelihood, honoured in the king's harem and visiting the families of mahāmātras or high ministers). These are to spy on the 18 *tīrthas* (mentioned on p. 112 above) in public. For spying on their private character persons pretending to be hump-backed, dwarfs, kirātas (pigmies), the deaf and dumb, idiots, the blind, and others that are actors, dancers, singers and the like and women are to be employed. This information is to be tested by the persons belonging to the five saṁsthās (mentioned above on p. 129), but these are to act without their being known by the wandering spies and *vice versa*. Then further testing by other spies follows.