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BURNING OF HINDU WIDOWS.
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To the widow so placed beside the lifeless body of her husband, the Mantras beginning with “... Udírshwa, &c.,” and “Suvarna goong hastát, &c., Dhanurhastát, &c.," or "Manigoong hastát, &c.," are to be addressed' to her by her husband's brother or fellowstudent, accordingly as he belonged to the priestly, military, or mercantile class.
If the widow thus addressed has not made up her mind for her' immolation, she obeys the call; but should she be firm in her resolve, she consoles her friends and relatives, and enters the fire.
Extracts? from Bharadwaja and Aswalayana, and
| The first part of the address beginning with "Udirshwa," &c., is the saine in respect of the funeral of the first three classes: by this Mantra the widow is requested to leave the corpse and to return to her abode. The remaining three Mantras are to be addressed to the widow of a Brahmana, Kshatriya, and Vaisya respectively, whereby she is required to lift up from the funeral pile the respective symbols of the deceased, and therewith to rub his hands. This call forms an important part of the ceremony.
2 अथैनं चितावुपर्यध्यूहत्यत्रैव वा पत्न्याः संवेशना क्रियत इति ॥ Bharadwája's Sútra, Praśna 1.
अथैतानि पात्राणि योजयेद्दक्षिणे हस्ते जुहं सव्य उपभृतं दक्षिणे पार्श्वे स्फयं सव्ये ऽग्निहोत्रहवणीमुरसि ध्रुवां शिरसि कपालानीत्यादि। Áswalayana's Grilya Sútra, Adhyaya IV, 3. [M. Müller in “ Zeitschrift der d. morgenl. Ges.”, IX, p. VI.]
उत्तरतः पत्नी ॥ Com. ततः प्रेतस्योत्तरतः पत्नी संवेशयन्ति । शाययन्तीत्यर्थः । चितावेव उपशेष इति लिङ्गात् एतावद्वर्णत्रयस्यापि समानं ॥ Ibid. Adh. II, 3. ___ उदीर्घनार्यभिजीवलोकं गतासमेतमुपशेष इति । हस्तग्राभस्य दिधिषोस्तवेदं पत्युर्जनित्वमभिसंबभूथ ॥
