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The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c10.s4: A Resume

The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c10.s4

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English

A Resume

c10.s4.1

Let us now take a general resume of the position of the widow from age to age. We find that down to *c.* 300 B. C., her position on the whole was fairly satisfactory. The prehistoric custom of Satī having died down, she was not required to immolate herself on the funeral pyre of her husband. If she was disinclined to lead a life of celibacy, she could either contract a second marriage or have recourse to Niyoga, the latter hardly differing from the former in earlier times. The custom of tonsure was absolutely unknown. Her only disability was a proprietary one; as we shall see in the chapter IX, she was not regarded as an heir to her husband's property. This was, however, more or less a theoretical disability. Niyoga and remarriage being common, it was very rare for a widow not to have a son; so what she could not claim as an heir to her husband, she could get as a guardian of her minor son.

c10.s4.2

From *c.* 300 B. C. the position of the widow began to deteriorate. Satī custom began gradually to come into vogue in Kshatriya circles. Secular and religious Hindu thinkers opposed its revival, and for some centuries they were able to check its spread. Eventually, however, their opposition proved of no avail and the custom spread to all sections of the community. Society began to come under a progressively greater influence of ascetic views and ideals, and as a result, the customs of both Niyoga and remarriage began to become gradually unpopular at about the beginning of the Christian era. Widows, not inclined to lead a celibate life, could however have recourse either to Niyoga or remarriage down to *c.* 500 A. D. Thereafter, however, the force of public opinion made it difficult for them to do so. Niyoga came to be definitely forbidden for the present age. Remarriages of child widows continued to be permitted till about 1000 A. D., but soon thereafter even this concession was withdrawn.

c10.s4.3

Widows came to be regarded as inauspicious; they could not be present at the marriages of even their own children. They had to lead a dreary life of enforced celibacy, and society did not show much sympathy to them. Many widows waded through their unwanted life, supported by such solace as religion could afford them. Some summoned the necessary fortitude and preferred to escape from life through the frightful door of the Satī custom, which consequently began to become commoner. A few found it impossible to follow either course and lapsed into a life of ignominy and immorality.

c10.s4.4

The only direction in which a change for the better took place in the condition of the widow after *c.* 200 A. D. was the question of the rights of inheritance. When a large number of widows were leading a life characterised by high moral fervour, remaining true to the memory of their departed consorts, society found it necessary to make provision for their suitable maintenance. Joint families, of which they were members, were no doubt morally bound to provide for their maintenance, but it was felt that widows should be given a life estate in the property of their late husbands in order to enable them to lead a peaceful and retired life. This concession, however, was given only to those widows, whose husbands had separated from the joint family. It was only Bengal, which extended it to all widows. This question, however, will be discussed at length in Chapter IX.

c10.s4.5

From *c.* 1000 A. D. the condition of the widow further deteriorated. The custom of tonsure came into vogue. The motives for its adoption may have been good, but its consequences were often disastrous. The custom of Satī now began to appeal more and more to all classes of society. As a consequence, sometimes even unwilling widows were driven to follow it owing to the force of public opinion. Sometimes on rare occasions even child widows were burnt, lest they should go astray and bring disgrace to their families. Society had become quite callous. It is true that a very large number of widows voluntarily ascended funeral pyres, but society had no moral right to hold up a custom for admiration, which was likely to result in the burning alive of even a few innocent and unwilling human beings. Reason, however, had ceased to weigh with Hindu society at this time, as it did before in an earlier age. Authority counted for everything, and authority too of the most recent texts.

c10.s4.6

The above survey will show that it was but natural that widowhood should have been regarded with the greatest apprehension by Hindu women. The widow did not receive much intelligent sympathy from society as a whole. She had to spend her life with her head shaven and arms bared; she was an outcaste on festive occasions,—a bad omen, her very sight being regarded as most inauspicious. A lady apprehending to be widowed observes in the Mahābhārata that a widow is pounced on all sides by the wicked like a piece of flesh by the birds of prey¹. The greatest danger that can overcome a woman is widowhood, says the Rāmāyaṇa². In the earlier period, when the Satī custom was unknown and remarriages were allowed, her lot was somewhat better ; nevertheless she was regarded as inauspicious. Later on, it became positively unbearable. It was a remarkable amount of fortitude and resignation, strengthened by the solace of religion and the belief in Karman, which enabled the Hindu widow to pass through her dreary life. A vast majority of them dedicated themselves to religious and spiritual pursuits. Service of the family and society was their motto. They were a source of inspiration to all around them on account of their self-sacrifice, disinterested service and devotion to spiritual pursuits. Some, however, found this ideal too difficult to follow, and it was a great pity that society should have failed to take proper steps to facilitate their remarriage. The spirit of the times, however, renderd such a move impossible.

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¹ उत्सृष्टमामिषं भूमौ प्रार्थयन्ति यथा खगाः। प्रार्थयन्ति जनाः सर्वे पतिहीनां तथा स्त्रियम्॥ *Mbh*, I, 158,10 (B).

c10.s4.8

² न हीदृशं भयं किंचित्कुलस्त्रीणामिहोच्यते। भयानामपि सर्वेषां वैधव्यं व्यसनं महत्॥ VII, 45, 43.

Cites (2)