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[Full title: Social evolution, Castes and Stages of life; (3) Bhogabhumi]

A picture of the way in which the wants of the early society were fulfilled is drawn in the Paumacariyam. It states that before the dawn of 'Krtayuga' (Kayajuga) there was all round prosperity in Bharatavarsa. At that time it was called Bhogabhumi because the people did not make any efforts for their maintenance. Their wants were fulfilled by the wish-trees which were of ten kinds (3.37f) and they bore the desired articles. These wish-trees (Kalpadrumas) were called Tudiyanga (Trutitanga-of music), Bhoyananga (Bhojananga-of food), Vihusananga (Vibhusananga-of ornaments), Mayanga or Cittarasa (Madanga or Citrasasanga 102.122of intoxicant), Vatthanga (Vastranga-of coitumes), Giha (Grha- of dwelling), Joi (Jyotis-of natural light), Diviyanga (Dipikangaof lamps), Bhayana (Bhajana-of utensils) and Mallanga (Malyang or Kusuma 102.115-of flowers) tree which provided all the requirements of life without undergoing any labour. People enjoyed according to their whishes and remained happy. They were were endearing to one another and were good-looking. They were fearless. The beasts were not ferocious and they strolled freely. People were born in couples consisting of a male and a female (husband and wife) and every couple gave birth to a fresh couple just before its own death. There was no social distinction because the society was uniform. There was complete absence of the rulers and the subjects. No body was disfigured and crippled. There were no poverty and misery. There was no complaint of any disease and all lived like gods (102. 126-132). The above account is corroborated by the Ramcharitmanas (4. 340-342) and the Adipurana (3. 39). The above picture of Yugala-dharma i. e, taking birth in the form of couples as husband and wife reveals that in the primitive 1. Visnupurana, 3.2. 2. Bhagavatapurana, 8,15,13. It mentions Devasavarni and Indrasavarni for Ruci and Bhauma. 8.13 (30,33).

320 A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAM society there was possibly a custom of marring one's own sister. Some stray evidences of the practice can be traced out. The 'sukta' of Yamayami (Rgveda, 10-10) reveals that sexual relation between a brother and a sister was in vogue. The Ambattha Sutta (Digha Nikaya) refers to the Sakya princes marrying there own sisters for preserving the purity of blood. The Dasaratha Jataka mentions that Rama Sita were brother and sister and they were married to each other. Instances of the wedlocks of brothers and sisters are known in the history of the royal families of Egypt and Persia and these occurred also among the Incas of Peru. In recent times the marriage of brother and sister is, or has been, the custom in Siam, Burma, Ceylon, Uganda and the Hawaiian islands' In the Muslim society the custom of marriage between a stepsister and a stepbrother is still prevalent. This was the picture of the society, as the Paumacariya reveals, before the down of the Krtayuga which was ushered in by Rsabhadeva, the first Tirthankara of the Jaina faith. It throws light on that primitive stage of society when the civilization had not made strides. At that time the life was simple. The complication of rules and laws, manners and customs, politics and religion, and agriculture and commerce had not grown. People lived chiefly on natural products. There was a common kingdom of the animals and the humanity. They were endearing to each other. Both lived as friends. There was no advancement in arts. Various social institutions had not originated and the society was classless and creed-less.