Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c7.615

c7.615

The case of the disappearance of the husband and the question what the wife will have to do in such cases, have been discussed in detail by other authors. Thus according to Gaut. 18, 15—17 the wife of a man who has disappeared should live in abstinence for six years (and then, after the expiration of this period, she should go to another man); only when he enters a spiritual order should she wait permanently, and when he has gone abroad for Vedic studies she should forbear from having intercourse with other men for twelve years. M. 9, 76 also prescribes a similar period of waiting, which of course has been expounded by a section of the commentators to signify that even after the expiration of this period the wife should live only by manual labour that is permitted to her even if he goes away without caring for her, or that she should pass her life in searching after her husband. According to Vas. 17, 75—80, she should not go to a stranger but preferably to a relation of her husband and he shortens the period of waiting as well as Nār. 12, 98—101 and Devala 2 if the woman has no children and belongs to a low caste; but on the other hand it should be extended if news is received that the husband is still living.