History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c14.s6: Song and Dance

History and Doctrines of the Ājīvikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c14.s6

Language: English

Song and Dance

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Cryptic passages in the Bhagavatī Sūtra suggest that Ājīvika ceremonial may have contained elements of a contemporary popular religious cult, which are found later in devotional Hinduism.

It will be remembered that, when in his last delirium, Gosāla was visited at night by the lay disciple Ayampula, with a question on the size of the hallā.¹ The teacher, in reply to Ayampula’s question, is reported to have given the inconsequential answer: “Play the vīṇā, old fellow! Play the vīṇā, old fellow!” Most of the actions and words of Gosāla in his last delirium seem to have been inserted in the story in order to provide alleged origins for later Ājīvika practices and doctrines, and the strange phrases of the teacher may indicate that the Ājīvika community was given to the singing of religious songs and to the use of music for religious purposes.

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¹ V. supra, pp. 62-63.

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The suspicion is strengthened by Abhayadeva’s definition of the two paths (magga), which the six disācaras extracted from the Puvvas, together with the eight mahānimittas, at the conference with Gosāla shortly before his death.² These paths, according to the commentator, are those of song and dance.³ Two of the eight finalities of the Ājīvikas are said to be carime geye and carime natte, the last song and dance,⁴ and Gosāla himself is said to have sung and danced in his last delirium.⁵

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² V. supra, p. 56.

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³ Tathā mārgau gīta-mārga-nṛtya-mārga-lakṣaṇau sambhāvyete. Bh. Sū., fol. 659.

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⁴ V. supra, p. 68.

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⁵ V. supra, p. 62.

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From these indications we infer that singing and dancing played an important part in Ājīvika religious practice. Possibly the Ājīvikas, in their Ājīviya-sabhā, held meetings for ecstatic religious singing and dancing, such as to-day held by such sects as the Caitanyas. This at least seems the most probable interpretation of these obscure passages.

Linked texts (1)

Viyāhapannatti — Sudharman, Ardhamāgadhī Prakrit