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104
SUNANDA Y SHASTRI
SAMBODHI
not having son -For a Südra woman the period is one year, if she has son and if one without son marries before the stipulated waiting period is over, then no rule is
violated in her case13 (8) Levirate and Sonorate By levirate (nıyoga) is meant the situation when after the death of a man without progeny, his brother is duty-bound to marry the widow and any children born out of their union are counted as the progeny of the deceased man Levirate was performed not only in the occasion of husband's death, but also in the case of an impotent man who is unable to procreate progeny He allows his wife to beget children through another man, with the permission of elders in the patriarchal society of India, it was always more than a need to continue father's lineage through a male issue A son only can perform rituals for father after father's death Son-biological or legal offers funeral ball-ofrice (pinda) to the dead father It is believed that, after the funeral ball-of-rice is offered, then father would not have to starve in the world of the Manes, thereafter Another thing is that the property remains in the family when there is male issue to continue the lineage
Woman was free to decide whether to perform the levirate or not Usually elders of the family and clan would decide in this matter they would order her to perform the levirate and go to her brother-in-law, and have relation with him until a son is born" The rule was,-'one should resort to Niyoga, when there is threat of family's extinction ' Children born without the authorisation of elders are deemed illegalo
Sonorate-Husband of a barren woman marries to her sister, and some of the children born to the union are counted as those of the childless wife* (9) Social arrangement for the children born without wedlock Thought is given to the children born through extramantal relations for the sake of inheritance This category consists of the sons, who may not be biological sons of their fathers They are as follows - (1) Ksetraja-A son begotten according to the law of Niyoga on the appointed
wife of dead man, or of impotent man, is called ksetraja-one begotten on the field-wife47
