History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c17.s1.34

c17.s1.34

The *Jānakī-haraṇa*, the authorship of which is attributed to a King of Ceylon, is thought to have a southern or Sinhalese provenance.¹ The *Bhaṭṭi-kāvya*, written on the same theme and at about the same time, but probably originating from Valabhī,² describes the ascetic guise of Rāvaṇa in terms which leave no doubt that the author has in mind a Śaivite ascetic; like Kumāradāsa’s ascetic his hair is piled upon the top of his head (*śikhī*); he holds an earthen pot; he has a skull in place of the usual begging bowl; he wears two garments died with lac; and he bears a staff.³ Mallinātha’s commentary states that he must have been a *tridaṇḍin*, or Śaivite ascetic, for he is said to have a topknot, whereas the *ekadaṇḍins* or Vaiṣṇavite ascetics, with whom Ājīvikas were sometimes included, did not wear topknots.⁴ The ascetic is further described as a knower of the soul (*ātma-vid*), and as maintaining the vow of a maskarin (*dhārayan maskari-vratam*).