Except a Viprá, the widow may take anything that be"longed to her husband, and ascend the pile. "But a Viprá may not ascend a second pile; this practice "belongs to other tribes." (Sukra.) In two of the excepted cases, a latitude is allowed for a widow desirous of offering this token of loyalty, by postponing the obsequies of the deceased: for Vyása directs that, "If the "loyal wife be distant less than the journey of a day, and "desire to die with her husband, his corpse shall not be burnt "until she arrive." And the Bhavishya-purána permits that "the corpse be kept one night, if the third day of her unclean"ness had expired when her husband died." With respect to a circumstance of time, which might on some occasions be objected, the commentators obviate the difficulty, by arguing from several texts, "that to die [121] "with or after [her husband], is for a widow naimittika? "and kámya,3 and consequently allowable in the intercalary "month;" for Daksha teaches, that "whenever an act both “naimittika and kámya is in hand, it is then to be performed "without consulting season." They are at the trouble of removing another difficulty: 66 Dhṛitaráshṭra, in the state of Samádhi, quitted his ter"restrial form to proceed to the Mukti, or beatitude, which "awaited him. When the leaves and wood were lighted to consume the corpse, his wife Gándhárí was seen to pass into "the flames. Now also, a husband dying at Káść and attain"ing Mukti, it becomes his widow to follow the corpse in "the flames." It were superfluous to pursue commentators through all their frivolous distinctions and laborious illustrations on latent difficulties. All the ceremonies essential to this awful rite are included 1 Occasional observances are omitted on intercalary days. 2 Eventual; incumbent when a certain event happens. in the instructions already quoted. But many practices have been introduced, though not sanctioned by any ritual. A widow who declares her resolution of burning herself with the corpse, is required to give a token of her fortitude: and it is acknowledged, that one who receded after the ceremony commenced would be compelled by her relations to complete the sacrifice. This may explain circumstances described by some who have witnessed the melancholy scene. 66 Other ceremonies noticed in the relations of persons who have been present on such occasions are directed in several rituals: "Adorned with all jewels, decked with minium and other customary ornaments, with the box of minium in her hand, "[122] having made pújá or adoration to the Devatás, thus reflecting that this life is nought: my lord and master to me "was all,-she walks round the burning pile. She bestows "jewels on the Brahmanas, comforts her relations, and shows "her friends the attentions of civility: while calling the Sun "and Elements to witness, she distributes minium at pleasure; "and having repeated the Sankalpa, proceeds into the flames. "There embracing the corpse, she abandons herself to the "fire, calling Satya! Satya! Satya!" The by-standers throw on butter and wood: for this they are taught that they acquire merit exceeding ten million fold the merit of an Aswamedha, or other great sacrifice. Even those who join the procession from the house of the deceased to the funeral pile, for every step are rewarded as for an Aswamedha. Such indulgences are promised by grave authors: they are quoted in this place only as they seem to authorize an inference, that happily the martyrs of this superstition have never been numerous. It is certain that the instances of the widow's sacrifices are now rare: on this it is only necessary to appeal to the recollection of every person residing in India, how few instances have actually occurred within his knowledge. And, had they ever been frequent, superstition would hardly have promised its indulgences to spectators. [From the Asiatic Researches, vol. v. pp. 345-368. [123] THE civil law of the Hindus containing frequent allusions to their religious rites, I was led, among other pursuits connected with a late undertaking, to peruse several treatises on this subject, and to translate from the Sanskrit some entire tracts, and parts of others. From these sources of information, upon a subject on which the Hindus are by no means communicative, I intend to lay before the Society, in this and subsequent essays, an abridged explanation of the ceremonies, and verbal translations of the prayers used at rites, which a Hindu is bound constantly to perform. In other branches of this inquiry, the Society may expect valuable communications from our colleague, Mr. W. C. Blaquiere, who is engaged in similar researches. That part of the subject to which I have confined my inquiries will be also found 1 [This paper is chiefly compiled from Haláyudha's Bráhman -sarvaswa, but these ceremonies and customs are best studied in the more ancient Gṛihya-sútras, such as that of Aswalayana, edited and translated by Stenzler, and also edited with commentary in the Bibl. Ind. Cf. Müller's Anc. Sansk. Lit. pp. 133, 200-205. I have cursorily compared the present Essay with MS. 1401 in the India Office Library.] to contain curious matter, which I shall now set forth without comment, reserving for a subsequent essay the observations which are suggested by a review of these religious practices. 66 A Brahmana rising from sleep, is enjoined, under the penalty of losing the benefit of all rites performed by him, to rub his teeth with a proper withe, or a twig of the race[124] miferous fig-tree, pronouncing to himself this prayer: Attend, lord of the forest; Soma, king of herbs and plants, "has approached thee: mayest thou and he cleanse my mouth "with glory and good auspices, that I may eat abundant "food." The following prayer is also used upon this occasion: "Lord of the forest! grant me life, strength, glory, splendour, offspring, cattle, abundant wealth, virtue, know"ledge, and intelligence." But if a proper withe cannot be found, or on certain days, when the use of it is forbidden (that is, on the day of the conjunction, and on the first, sixth, and ninth days of each lunar fortnight), he must rinse his mouth twelve times with water. 66 Having carefully thrown away the twig which has been used, in a place free from impurities, he should proceed to bathe, standing in a river, or in other water. The duty of bathing in the morning, and at noon, if the man be a householder, and in the evening also, if he belong to an order of devotion, is inculcated by pronouncing the strict observance of it no less efficacious than a rigid penance, in expiating sins, especially the early bath in the months of Magha, Phálguna, and Kárttika: and the bath being particularly enjoined as a salutary ablution, he is permitted to bathe in his own house, but without prayers, if the weather, or his own infirmities, prevent his going forth: or he may abridge the ceremonies, and use fewer prayers, if a religious duty, or urgent business, require his early attendance. The regular bath consists of ablutions followed by worship, and by the inaudible recitation of the Gayatri with the names of the worlds. First sipping water, and sprinkling some before him, the priest recites the 66 three subjoined prayers, while he performs an ablution, by throwing water eight times on his head, or towards the sky, and concludes it by casting water on the ground, to destroy the demons who wage war with the gods. 1st. "O waters! "since ye afford [125] delight, grant us present happiness, "and the rapturous sight of the Supreme GOD." 2nd. “Like "tender mothers, make us here partakers of your most aus'picious essence." 3rd. "We become contented with your 'essence, with which ye satisfy the universe. Waters! grant "it unto us."1 (Or, as otherwise expounded, the third text may signify, Eagerly do we approach your essence, which 'supports the universal abode. Waters! grant it unto us.') In the Agni-purána, the ablution is otherwise directed: "At "twilight, let a man attentively recite the prayers addressed "to water, and perform an ablution, by throwing water on the crown of his head, on the earth, towards the sky; again "towards the sky, on the earth, on the crown of his head, on "the earth, again on the crown of his head, and lastly on "the earth." Immediately after this ablution, he should sip water without swallowing it, silently praying in these words: "Lord of sacrifice! thy heart is in the midst of the waters of "the ocean; may salutary herbs and waters pervade thee. "With sacrificial hymns and humble salutation we invite thy presence; may this ablution be efficacious." Or he may sip water while he utters inaudibly the mysterious names of the seven worlds. Thrice plunging into water, he must each time repeat the expiatory text 3 which recites the creation; and having thus completed his ablution, he puts on his mantle after washing it, and sits down to worship the rising sun. 66 66 2 This ceremony is begun by his tying the lock of hair on the crown of his head, while he recites the Gayatri, holding much kusa grass in his left, and three blades of the same grass in his right hand; or wearing a ring of grass on the third finger [Rig V. x. 9. 1-3.] [The Agha-marshana, see infra.] 2 [Vájasaneyi Sanh. vii. 25.] |