Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c12.s10.t13: Widow Remarriage
Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c12.s10.t13
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Widow Remarriage
c12.s10.t13.1
According to the Hindu ideal of marriage, a true wife must preserve her chastity as much after as before her husband's death and hence the marriage of widows was generally not favoured in ancient India. Although according to the *Smṛtis*, there are "five cases of legal necessity" whereby the wife is allowed to marry a second husband, *viz*, if the first husband is lost, or dead, or becomes an ascetic or is impotent or is expelled from the caste;⁶⁵ yet it seems that on the whole the widow remarriage was looked with contempt.⁶⁶
c12.s10.t13.2
⁶⁵ *Nārada*, XII, 97.
c12.s10.t13.3
⁶⁶ See Valvalkar, *op. cit.*, chapter on Marriage; also Altekar, *op. cit.*, pp. 181-3
c12.s10.t13.4
The *Ovāiya* mentions the women whose husband is gone abroad, the women who have lost their husbands, the women who are widows from their childhood, the women who are forsaken, the women who are guarded by their mother, father, brother, family or father-in-law, the women whose nails have grown, the hairy women who have grown beard (*maṃsu*), the women who have given up the use of flowers, perfumes, garlands and ornaments, the women who suffer from perspiration, dirt and filth without a bath, the women who have given up the use of milk, curds, butter, *ghee*, oil, jaggery, salt, honey, wine and meat; it is said of such women that they observe celibacy and never marry another man⁶⁷
c12.s10.t13.5
⁶⁷ 38, p 167, *cf Manu* (IX 65)
c12.s10.t13.6
Reference is made to child-widows who joined the ascetic order. Dhanasiri⁶⁸ and Lakkhaṇāvatī⁶⁹ are mentioned as such widows who entered the life of nuns.
c12.s10.t13.7
⁶⁸ *Āva cū* p 526
c12.s10.t13.8
⁶⁹ *Mahā Ni* p 24.
Cites (2)
- Mānava Dharmaśāstra — Manu & Bhṛgu, Sanskrit
- Nāradasmṛti — Nārada, Sanskrit