Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c18.s3.t3.11

v2.c18.s3.t3.11

This detailed account of Dēkkabbe's daring is necessary if we are to understand that sati was by no means a compulsory custom in the ancient times. Dēkkabbe, who is called in the same inscription "the celebrated mine of heroism", was not the only one who could enter the funeral pyre of her husband. Śākka-gāmuṇḍa's (son) Śiñja-gāmuṇḍa, evidently of Rājēndra-Śōḷa-vaḷanāḍu of Śōḷamaṇḍalam, pierced a tiger in A. D. 1118 and died. Thereupon his wife Śikkavai, daughter of Vaśava-gāmuṇḍa, entered the fire.² On Sundara Chōḷa alias Parāntaka II's death, his queen Vānavan Mahādēvi entered into sahagamana.³ In the siege of Jambūr in A. D. 1191, Biraṇa "fell upon him (i.e., Ekkalarasa of Uddare), pierced his horse, seized his money and slaying him, went to svarga. His wife Biyavve, when setting this stone, died along with him and took svarga by force".⁴