The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c10.s2.2

c10.s2.2

¹ **उदीर्ध्वं नार्यभिजीवलोकं गतासुमेतमुपशेष एहि ।** **हस्तग्राभस्य दिधिषोस्तवेदं पत्युर्जनित्वमभिसंबभूथ ॥** *R. V.*, X, 18,8. The verse seeks to dissuade the widow from burning herself on her husband's funeral pyre by following the archaic Satī custom, which had gone out of vogue. Its correct translation is as follows :—'Oh lady, get up, come back to the world of the living; you are lying by the side of a dead person. As far as thy wifehood to thy husband, who had seized thy hand (in marriage), is concerned, you have lived it out completely.' Those, who see in this verse a proposal for remarriage, translate the last line in the following way :—'Thy wifehood to me, who has seized thy hand and who is thy lover, has now commenced.' This is, however, a wrong translation. It is, however, surprising to find that Sāyaṇa should support this interpretation; cf:—**त्वं हस्तग्राभस्य पाणिग्राहवतो दिधिषोः पुनर्विवाहेच्छोः पत्युरेत्तज्जनित्वं जायात्वमभिसंबभूथ आभिमुख्येन सम्यक्प्राप्नुहि ।** On *Tai. Araṇ*, VI, 1.