vezyA 'courtesan'

[N. Ganesan]

Prof. R. Steiner answered:
>Skt. ve"syaa ``prostitute, courtesan" has to be connected with
>Skt. ve"sa ``house; brothel; prostitution" which is already attested
>in the Vaajasaneyi-Sa.mhitaa (Kaa.nva recension), in Manu, etc.
>(cf. the noun vi"s ``habitation, settlement" and the root vi"s, or
>ve"s ``enter, settle in", already .Rgvedic and of Indo-European
>origin).

Many thanks to Indologists who have been kind to provide answers both
off- and on-line.

The problem, however, is well described in a publication:

"The French priest [Abbe Dubois] is shocked by the fact that any
connection with courtesans or dancers attached to the temple is
favourably looked upon according to the following proverb: Ve"sya
dar"sanam pu.nyam paapa naa"sanam, which means literally 'to see a
courtesan(or prostitute) is auspicious and the destruction of
sin'[230]. This proverb does full justice to the devadasi as a
nityasumangali, the ever-auspicious female. This auspiciousness is
implored by society in the case of wedding ceremonies[231], in
processions of the gods [232], and while carrying the sacred water
to the temple [233]. Even after retirement from active temple-service
the devadasis of Vaishnava temples were called
Kali-yuga-lakshmi(goddess of prosperity in the worst world-period of
kali)[234] and kali-yuga-parvati in Saiva temples [235]. The important
function of the devadasis in South Indian temple ritual and society is
well illustrated by another proverb: Urukku oru tEvaTiyAL Arukku en2Ru
ATuvAL? 'The village has only one devadasi; for whom is she to
dance?[236] This proverb implies that she suffers from overwork
because all want her services, and as such is used by married women
who feel that the burden of the household rests only on their
shoulders.

[230] Cf. Abbe Dubois, op. cit., p. 310; according to him the
translation of this saying is "To have intercourse with a prostitute
is a virtue which takes away sin", however dar"sana (Skt.) does not
mean intercourse but 'seeing'. " (p. 47, S. C. Kersenboom,
Nityasumangali).

The dancing women in the Sangam period were routinely given gold
ornaments, gold flowers and garlands. Even today, the devadasis in
South Indian temples receive parivaTTam or paTTam "golden silk
brocade" tied around their head, a great honor on festival days.
Devadasis from ancient times in inscriptions and literature are called
mANikkam, mANikkatti etc. 'ruby, jewel'. In the A.P., and KarnATaka
they are called Basavi 'the bright one', a cognate in tamil is from
vayattal, vayaGkutal, - all to do with 'lustre, auspiciousness'.
Incidentally, vacavan2 (Cf. kuyavan, kucavan 'potter', Tulu kusave) is
"poli-kALai" = steer used for "covering". Ellammaa/Maari where
el- 'light, bright' etc., is fond of fire-pot offerings, reminescent
of 'pot-lamp' lustration wavings reserved as Devadasi duty. Women
going naked as offerings for goddess Ellamma whose legends of
decapitation by Parasuramar reminds of erotic Lajjagauri sculptures
where a naked woman with no head is depicted in early Indian
sculpture: "The most ancient shrine of Ellamma is at Ugargol in
Belgaum district, Karnataka. In a village named Chandra Giri,
Karnataka, devotees proceed from home to temple in a state of nudity
to worship ReNuka-Ellamma, the ancient Earth mother. Indian Antiquary
(1882), pp. 122-3" (Pupul Jayakar, The Earth mother, p.223, Harper
& Row).

Tamil verb, vEy-
vEy-tal 1. to put on, as a garland; to wear, as crown;
3. to surround; 4. to set, as gems; 5. to be fitted with;
6. to bore; to open, blossom

Tamil noun, vEy has meanings like 'lute' and 'composition, as of a
song' This root also gives birth to the Tamil word for king, vEntan2,
who converts inauspicious uncontrolled natural power into auspicious
and controlled power. Like devadasis receiving gold garlands, paTTam,
parivaTTam 'silk cloth', titles of kings like paTvardhan, paTTa-kAr
describe their auspicious state.

Is it possible that cognates of tamil vEy- "to wear a
crown/head-band, to be bright, to be auspicious" describing the
function of courtesan dancers, was subsequently (re)interpreted with
the Sanskrit root verb, viz- "to enter"?

Regards,
N. Ganesan

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