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VAIDIC AUTHORITY FOR THE
from the Salamarańavidhi, a work of much repute in Drávida, are quoted below in elucidation of these practices. From these Vaidic and Sautric injunctious have been derived the rules and directions for the immolation of the Satí, in the Smritis and Puranas.
After having thus shown the Vaidic authority for the Sahamarana, I shall offer some observations upon the conclusions you have drawn, on perusing the seventh and eighth Verses' of the second Súkta of the second Anuváka of the tenth Mańdala of the Rigveda,
In the first place, on referring to Raghunandana's Suddhitattwa, whence Colebrooke derives his mate
हस्तौ सम्मार्टि सुवर्णेन ब्राह्मणस्य सुवर्ण हस्तादिति । धनुषा राजन्यस्य धनुर्हस्तादिति । मणिना वैश्य स्य मणिं हस्तादिति ॥ Bhāradwája's Sútra.
तामुत्थापयेद्देवरः पतिस्थानीयो ऽन्तेवासी जरदासो वोदीर्घ नार्यभिजीवलोकमिति ॥ Asmalay. II, 2.
उत्तरतः पत्नी। तां प्रेतस्योत्तरतः सुप्तां सत्त्वरहितां देवरः शिष्यो वा करे धृत्वा नमस्कृत्य उदीर्वति द्वाभ्यामुत्थापयेत् । सत्त्वाधिकात्तु स्वयमेव सुहृदः संबन्धिनः पुत्रांश समामंत्र्य भतारं विष्णरूपं धृत्वा हुताशनं प्रविशेदित्युक्तं ॥* Salhamaramavedhi.
' मा नारीरविधवाः सपत्नीराञ्जनेन सर्पिषा सं विशन्तु अनश्रवो ऽनमीवाः सुरत्ना आरोहन्तु जनयो योनिमग्रे ॥१॥ । उदीर्घ नार्यभि जीवलोकं गतासुमेतं उप शेष एहि हस्तग्राभस्य दिधिषोस्तवेदं पत्युजेनित्वमभि सं बभूथ ॥२॥
* Her (the widow) lying on the north of the deceased, if she want courage, her liusband's brother, or fellow-student, or old servant shall, by reciting the two Mantras Udirshwa, &c., raise, holding her by the hand and saluting her'; but if slie have sufficient courage, she bidding adieu to her friends, relatives , aud children, and contemplating the Vislmn-like form of her husband, enters the fire.
