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SOCIAL CONDITIONS
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children after the names of their mothers prove that the mothers held the position of honour (Somitti 22. 108 for Lakşmana; Videhā 46. 65 or Vaidehi 100. 28 for Sita). Whenever the sons went out on some important work or renounced the world, they paid respects to and took due permission of their mothers. The same was the case when they returned. The stepmothers were also accorded the same respect.4 The mother was given the respect of a teacher along with the father (8. 152). It was considered to be a great sin to kill one's mother (14, 14). . A son considered it improper to give slightest pain to his mother or stepmother (8. 152) and for that Harişeņa left his country and after attaining the competent position, he returned home and fulfilled the desires of his mother. Rāma's voluntary exile to the forest was in compliance with fulfilling the wishes of his mother, Kaikeyi, though a stepmother (31. 76). Lavana and Ankusa could not tolerate the humiliation of their mother in the form of her exile at the hands of Rāma. They took rest only after giving a fight to Rama and bringing him to realise his mistake, though they were opposed by their mother (99. 21; 100. 31). Hanu overpowered Mahendra, the father of his mother to take revenge upon him, because Mahendra had not given shelter to his mother when she was wrongfully exiled by her mother-inlaw (50.5). Thus the PCV reveals that the mother held a position of honour and respect in the family and the society.
Widow : --The PCV reveals that widow-remarriage was not permitted. It is said that the life of a woman became graceless and unhappy with the death of her husband. Śrīvardhita's widow-mother is said to be living a miserable and unhappy life (77. 82). Añjana's marriage with Vidyutprabha was not advised, because he was prophesied to be having a short span of life and his early death would have made Añjana's life charmless (pabbhatthalāyanga 15. 69). The Raksasa soldiers were gripped with terror when they saw that they would be killed and their wives would become widows (vihavão 59. 17). Mandodarí prevented Rāvana from killing Kharadūşana because his death would have made Candranakhā's life quite miserable (vigayasoha 9. 17). Thus it is revealed that the position of widows was not good in the society.
This state of widows can be corroborated by other evidences. The Bhagavati Sūtra mentions that the widows were not associated
1. 16. 35; 31.95. 2. 3. 135; 13. 51. 3. 79. 28; 8. 26. 4. 31. 101.
