Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 182

Place of suicide...
173 It became highly respected and held in high estcem by the Hindus in the mediaeval age. But it was a purely voluntary aftair and whenever it took shape of purely a social custom and widows were compelled to practice sati, strong protests were made, declaring it as non-religious and not in accordance with the śāstras throughout the ancient and mediaeval periods. 98 But unfortunately, in later times, this practice took different shape and became purely cruel social custom and British rulers have stopped it.
Jauhar is another kind of self-immolation prevalent in the mediaeval period among the brave Rajputs of Rajasthan. It is a story of a glorious chapter of heroism and splendid sacrifice of Rajputs. Jauhar was in a sepse, a spontaneous out-burst of violent reaction against the barbarous atrocities perpetrated by the brute conquerors who felt no scruples in molesting even womenfolk.94 It is a heroic type of sacrifice, resorted to, to avoid intolerable shame and dishonour to culture and community at the hands of victorious enemies.
In India its origin can be traced as far back as the 4th century B.C. At the time of Alexander's invasion of India, many defeated kings along with their wives and subjects, resorted to this method of self-immolation to avoid dishonour at the hands of foreigners. It is said that in one city alone, some twenty thousand males, females and children embraced flames to escape captivity and dishonour. 95 In the early centuries of the Christian era, when the Sakas and the Huņas invaded India, created terror and played havoc with lives of the people, the royal families resorted to this method to save the honour of their womenfolk, 96 In classical literature, it is found that, Dākṣāyaṇi (daughter of Daksa ), or Sati insulted by her own father, resorted to self-immolation.97 The Rajput history is a living example of this great sacrifice in the mediaeval period. 98 Thousands of the Rajput ladies, when they came to know that their kings were defeated or captured or killed on the battle-field by the enemies. willingly and gladly embraced the rising flames to avoid captivity, sexual dishonour, and to save the honour of their royal blood, community, and culture from the hands of the victorious enemies, speci. ally the Muslims. In memory of these glorious sacrifices, stone-monuments 93. Manusmrti with Medbātithi commentary, V-157; Brahmāndapurana quoted in
Parā'sara Samhita, Vol. II, Pt. I, p. 58 etc; Jaimini Sūtra with sābarbhāşya, I-I-2. 94. History of Suicide in India', pp. 168-69. 95. Ibid., p. 162 96. 'History of Suicide in India', pp, 161-168. 97. Kumārasambhavam, I, 21-22. 98. Todd, Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, Vol. II, Madras, 1880, pp. 29, 370-73,
393-91.