The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c17.s2.5

c17.s2.5

This must have naturally led to grave mistakes and anomalies in the performance of the ritual, which must have shocked orthodox priests. The first remedy they must have thought of was to declare the non-Aryan wife to be unfit for association with her husband in religious rituals. ‘The black non-Aryan wife may be her husband’s associate in pleasure, but not in religious rituals’ say several authorities¹. But a mighty king, mad with love for his non-Aryan beloved, was not to be dictated to by a priesthood dependent upon him for its subsistence. He would insist upon having his own favourite wife by his side at the time of his sacrifices, no matter her race or caste.