Prostitution In Hinduism
1. Devadasi Pratha (Religious Prostitution)
📖Padma Purana 1.52.97-100
By offering a dear, young, beautiful woman (i.e. a maiden) along with ornaments and bed, to (one of) the sages, a man would obtain unending fruit. The fruit of a young virgin and a girl eight years old is the same. One should be given to a suitor, the other one to a brahmana. A wise man, without troubling himself, should offer a purchased daughter to god. Till the end of the Kalpa he would get (i.e. live in) heaven, and would be a king or a very rich man on the earth; and in every birth he would get a very beautiful, fine wife.” (source)
📖Valmiki Ramayana 2.32.15
Oh, Lakshmana! Which brahman is studying Taittiriya(a school of yajurveda), a preceptor, a man of conformity; a knower of Vedas, serving Kausalya with his devotion and blessing, to him see that he is duly gifted conveyance, servant maids and silken clothing till he gets satisfied.” (source)
📖Padma Purana 5.113.40-46b
Vasistha said:- O king, you have not asked enough. That is said to be holy which enables one to be more sportive, O king. He should make Siva’s temple white with whitewash on all sides. He should have women who are endowed with beauty and graceful movements, adorned with all ornaments, skilled in (singing) many good songs, and proficient in various kinds of dancing…..All should be beautiful and should have graceful movements. All should be of firm breasts. They should be skilled in the ways of sexual love and should be trustworthy…O king, he who has caused women like this to dance (even) on one day, gets into a (divine). aeroplane in a year.” (source)
📖Skanda Purana 2.2.27.90-92
Two gem-set umbrellas were held (one) above the head (and the other) behind the back by the Moon and by the Sun with great devotion. Divine incense was burnt. (Celestial damsels) embellished by their youthful charms stood on either side in rows with chowries (in their hands). They were eager to wave them gracefully. All of them joined together with great enthusiasm and took (the idols of) Sudarśana, Subhadrā and Balabhadra.” (source)
📖Brahma Vaivarta Purana Krishna Janma Khanda 40.117-122
In case the daughter is given to such a person who is well-versed in the Vedas, having the noble character the one who does not accept charity, who performs always sandhya, yajna and the reciting of the Vedas regularly, the one who is truthful, the father achieves the merit of digging ten step wells. The one who gives away his daughter to a Brahmana who performs the sandhya, thrice a day, is truthful, householder, well-versed in the Vedas and gives away his daughter to such a person. By performing charity he becomes successful, the one who accepts charity is devoid of performing of sandhya and is a fool, the giver gets half the merit. The Brahmana, who accepts the wife of others, the one who performed yajna the wicked is devoid of the performing of sandhya and in case a daughter is given to him one achieved the merit of the digging of a single step-well.” (source)
📖Brahma Vaivarta Purana Krishna Janma Khanda 40.123-126
If a girl is given to a Brahmana who is devoted to Visnu, is intelligent, truthful and the one who has controlled all his senses, the donor earns the merit of constructing twenty step wells. He then takes to the divine form for sixty thousand years and the donor enjoys all the pleasures in the abode of Visnu, By giving away the daughter to Visnu or Siva, the donor achieves the form of Narayana. This has been ordained in the Vedas. When a devotee of Visnu offer a daughter in marriage to a Brahmana for the pleasure of Visnu, he surely achieves the slavehood of lord Visnu.” (source)
📖Brahma Purana 39.19-33
There were many temples of gods embellished by outer walls and gardens. The ways of worship therein were wonderful and they enhanced the beauty of the holy centre. The women were slender-waisted and joyous. Their necks were adorned by necklaces. They had large eyes like the petals of the lotus. Their breasts were plump and lifted up. These ladies were dark-complexioned with faces shining like the full moon. Their forelocks were steady. Their cheeks were fine. Their girdles and anklets sounded sweet. They had good tresses of hair; their buttocks were beautiful and their eyes were large extending as far as the ears. They were richly endowed with all characteristic signs and bedecked in all ornaments. They wore white and lustrous garments. Some were golden-coloured. Their bodies bent down due to the weight of their breasts. They resembled the celestial ladies and they sported about in their respective houses. They remained gay and jolly by day and night. O excellent sages, the women were experts in dancing and singing. They were proud of their feminine virtues.” (source).
2. Permissibility of earning from owned prostitutes
📖Vishnu Smriti 16.12
Vaidehakas must live by keeping (dancing girls and other public) women and profiting by what they earn.” (source)
📖Narada Smriti Quotations from Narada 8.9
It is by permission (of the owner) only that a female slave, cattle, or an estate may be enjoyed (by a stranger). He who enjoys that which had not been given up to him (by the owner), must pay for the (illegitimate) enjoyment of what he had been enjoying.” (source)
3. The younger brother should donate his wife to his elder brother
📖Mahabharata 12.165.67-70
If a younger brother weds before his elder brother, then the younger brother, the elder brother and the woman that is married, all three, in consequence of such wedding, become fallen. All of them should observe the vows prescribed for a person who has neglected his sacrificial fire, or practise the vow of Candrayana for a month, or some other painful vow, for cleansing themselves of their sin. The younger brother, wedding, should give his wife unto his unmarried elder brother. Afterwards, having obtained the permission of the elder brother, the younger brother may take back his wife.” (source)
4. Every sexual desire of a brahmin should be fulfilled
📖Matsya Purana 71.44-45
That Brahmana should be well fed and be devoutly looked upon as cupid, for the sake of sexual enjgyment. Each and every desire of that Brahmana should be satisfied by the woman devote. She should, with all heart and soul and with a smile on her face, yield herself up to him.” (source)
📖Matsya Purana 71.56-59
Henceforth, any. Brahmana coming to them for the sake of sexual enjgyment on a Sunday, should be respected and honoured. If with the consent of that Brahmana, another handsome person come to them, these women should, with love and affection and to the best of their ability, perform all the fiftyeight kinds of observances of Love, favourite of man and gods, which would lead to pregnancy and which is not harmful to their soul’s welfare.” (source)
📖Padma Purana 1.23.130b-142
Then having circumambulated and allowed the best Brahmana to go, she should take all (the articles) like the bed, the seat, to the Brahmana’s house. Since then whosoever comes to her house for sexual enjoyment should be similarly honoured on a Sunday and should always be adored. Thus till the thirteenth month arrives, she should gratify a Brahmana and then send him to his house; with his permission (she may entertain) a handsome (person) till he arrives (to her residence). When she has a difficulty as a result of impurity due to child-birth or abortion or or from the king or a difficulty due to divine or human (forces) or due to an eclipse, then she should offer herself according to her capacity, for fifty-eight times. This (vow) I have especially narrated to you, since this is the duty that should be always performed by the prostitutes in this world…” (source).
5. Giving breasts to a brahmin to suck in order to obtain a son
📖Skanda Purana 5.2.20.47-48
Sri Devi said:- If a righteous son well-known all over the world is to be born to me, I will first breast-feed a Brahmana and then alone my son. O great sage, such a son has been born to me. O eminent Brahmana, if you wish to be alive suck the breasts.” (source)
6. Indra savs the widows to live their lives like prostitutes
📖Matsya Purana 71.26-30
Once upon a time a thousands and thousands of the demons (Danavas, Asuras, Daityas and Raksasas) were killed in the war between the Devas and the demons. Indra told their numberless widows and those women who were forcibly seized and enjoyed, to lead the life of prostitutes and remain devoted to the kings and the Devas. Indra continued, ‘You should look upon, with equal eye, the kings your masters and on Sudra. All of you will attain prosperity, according to your fate. You should satisfy those who would come to you with adequate sum of money to enjoy your company, even if they be poor.” (source)
7. Thousands of dancing prostitutes giving erotic massages
📖Valmiki Ramayana 2.91.43-55
At that moment itself, twenty thousand women adorned with beautiful ornaments, sent by Brahma, arrived. Twenty thousand more women, who were radiant and adorned with gold, gems, pearls and corals came from the region of Kubera. A particular company of Apsaras, embraced by whom, a man looked as though seized with insanity, came from Nandana grove. Those most excellent kings among celestial musicians – Narada, Tumbura and Gopa whose radiance is like that of the sun, began to sing in front of Bharata. hen, on the command of Bharadwaja, Alambusa, MishraKesi and Vamana started dancing in the presence of Bharata.By the command of Bharadwaja, wreaths of flowers which were beloved of the gods or those which grow in the woods of chaitra ratha were seen at Prayaga. By the command of Bharadwaja, Bel trees assumed the form of drummers, Vibhitaka trees assumed the form of cymbalists and Peepul trees assumed the form of dancers. Then, dcodars palmyras and Tilaka trees along with Tamala trees transformed into hunch backs and dwarfs and joyfully arrived there.Shimshapas (Ashoka trees), Amalakis (Emblic myrobalan), Jambus (rose-apple trees), Malati, Mallika Jati and other creepers in the forest had been changed into dancing girls in the hermitage of Bharadwaja and they spoke as follows: O, wine-bibbers! Drink the wine, however much you desire! O troops stricken with hunger! Let milk thickened iwth rice and the meats which are very much fresh, be eaten (as you will). Seven or eight young women bathed every single man on the beautiful river-banks, after massaging their body with oil. Women with charming eyes came running and shampooed their limbs. Lovely women likewise wiped off the moisture on their body with towels and gave them beverages to drink, mutually sharing them among each other.” (source)
Additional Information
In the comprehensive article “Prostitution In Hinduism,” we have diligently incorporated numerous references derived from a thorough examination of Hindu scriptures. Furthermore, we have included references that allow readers to cross-verify the information within Hindu texts. If you have any questions or if there are any inaccuracies in our article, we invite you to connect with us via email. Your inquiries will be promptly addressed, and we are committed to providing any necessary clarifications or corrections to ensure the accuracy of our content.