Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c7.s1.t6: Women and Succession
Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c7.s1.t6
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Women and Succession
c7.s1.t6.1
When there was no heir to the king, who could succeed to the throne, sometimes, though very rarely his daughter succeeded him. The *Mahānisīha* alludes to a widowed daughter of a king, who, in order to save her family from blasphemy, wanted to commit Suttee. But since this custom was not prevalent in the family of the king, he stopped her from doing so. After some time the king died heirless and his widowed daughter was established on the throne.²²
c7.s1.t6.2
²² P 30. It is stated in the *Jātakas* "infamous is the land which owns a woman's sway and rule, and infamous are the men who yield themselves to women's dominion" (*Kandina Jātaka*, I, No. 13, p 155), but sometimes we come across examples when women wielded the actual sovereignty On Udaya's death no king was set up and we are told the commands of his widow Udayabhaddā were promulgated (*Udaya Jātaka* No. 458, IV, p. 105).
Linked texts (1)
- Jātaka — Pāli