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LIFE IN ANCIENT INDIA
be carried by monks, or by laymen in a cart, or with the help of the Mallay or by the Cåndālas.100 Then after being carried to the cremation ground, with the permission of the keeper of the cemetery, the corpse should be disposed of duly.101
The ceremony of taking out the body of the dead (nīharana) including the child was performed with great pomp (iddhisakkara) and many funeral rites (mayakacca) were performed on the occasion. Annual or monthly feasts were given in honour of the departed.19 Mention has been made of offering the pinda to the fathers. We are told that on the anniversary day the Brāhmaṇas were invited for feast.198
Among the various causes of death the following are mentioned : swallowing the tälaputa poison, brandishing the sword on one's shoulders, hanging on a tree, fastening one's neck with a slab of stone and throwing oneself into the sea, and entering into fire.194 Among other kinds of suicides mention is made of falling down from a mountain15 (girzpadiyaga), falling down from a tree, committing suicide in a desert, swinging from a mountain (giripakkhandolaya), jumping into a desert, entering into water (jalapavesika), swallowing poison, 180 committing suicide with a weapon (satthovaditaka) or by hanging (vehānasia). Then sallekhana on voluntary submission to death was another custom in vogue among the Jain monks who ended their life for attaining higher world by withholding from food and drink. 197
P. 193.
180 Vya. Bha. 7. 449-462, p, 79 f. Manu (X. 55) also asks the Cändālas to carry out the
corpses of persons who have no relatives. 101 Vya. Bhả 7 442-440 p. 70ff; also Rua Nir. Dipika, Vol. 11, 95 ff; dia cu. II, pp. 102-9,
Bhaguatl Aradh. 1974-2000. For the disposal of the dead sce also Law, India Described 191 Nisi. ca. 11, p. 700; Ndya. 14, p. 161 ; cf. Malakabhatta Jätaka, No. 18, (I. p. 166),
Mahabharata, I, 134, 136; Ramayana, VI. 114. 101 ff. 108 Harz. 13, p. 194a. 194 Naya. 14, p. 166. Cånakya is said to have put an end to his life by entering into file
see supra), 196 Udayana of Kosambl is said to have departed from this world along with his queen by
ascending the top of a hill and falling from the precipice, Pradhan, Chronology of Ancient
India p. 246; also cf. Cullapaduma Jataka (193) II, p. 118. 10B For various kinds of poisons etc. see Tha. 4.341, 6. 633,sce also Brh. Bhd 3. 4208 ;
Pinda 274 com.; Parna, 1, p. 45a; Fiva. 1, p. 36a ; cf. Arthasāstra (p. 108). 187 See Anta. 8, etc,
