नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)

-XIII. 216 ] THE DIFFERENT GAITS 235

Seats for male characters

208-210. O Brahmins, gods and kings are to be given the Lion-seat (i.e. throne), the priests and the ministers the cane-seat, the commander of the army and the crown-prince the Muṇḍā-seat, the Brahmins the wooden seat and the other princes the carpet-seat. This rule of seats should be observed in the royal court.

Seats for female characters

210-214. I shall now speak of the rule of seats for women. The chief queen should be given the Lion-seat, the female relatives and wives of the king other than the chief queen the Muṇḍā-seat, the wives of priests and ministers the cane-seat, the concubines [of the king] the seat consisting of cloth, skin or carpet, the wives of Brahmins and female ascetics the seat made of wood (paṭṭa), the wives of Vaiśyas the seat of pillow (cushion), and for the remaining women the ground will be the seat. So much about the rule of seats in the inner appartments as well as in public places. While residing in one's own house one can take any seat according to one's liking.

Seats for ascetics and sectarians

215. The seats for the ascetics should be according to the rules [of the order] they are observing. For the members of different sects with special marks the seats will be according to their vows.

216. While pouring ghee into the sacrificial fire or doing the sacrificial duty in general or offering a libation of water to the departed parents one is to sit on a Vṛṣī¹, Muṇḍa-seat or cane-seat.

---

208-210 (B.XII.214b-217a, G.207-210a). ¹ A cane-chair.
² muṇḍāsana is probably nothing other than Bengali moḍā.
210-214 (B.XII.217b-221, G.210b-214).
215 (B.XII.222, G.215). ¹ For example, some have tiger-skin as their seat, some deer-skin or a piece of woolen blanket.
216 (B.XII.223, G.216). ¹ a seat made of kuśa grass (Apte).