Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c7.861

c7.861

(3) The spiritual relationship which in ordinary inheritance comes into consideration only when real relations are absolutely wanting (§ 24) may justify a direct right of inheritance among the members of a religious sect or order. Thus accordingly to Vi. 17, 15 f. the property of a hermit in the forest (*vānaprastha*) descends after his death on his teacher and eventually on his disciples. Y. 2, 137 extends this system of inheritance also to the property of an ascetic (*yati*) and a life-long Brahmacārin and mentions as their heirs the spiritual initiator, a virtuous disciple, a member of the same religious brotherhood or one who lives in the same holy place (so according to Apar.). Of course the practical importance of this rule is not high for when going to enter the state of monkhood a man, as a rule, gave up all his worldly possessions which were divided among his relations (§ 24). Even to this day this spiritual right of succession is met with not infrequently and the best known is perhaps the case of the Gosāvī sect². Among the Gosāvīs the Guru often even in his life-time nominates one of his disciples to be his heir and successor, but a disciple's disciple, a teacher, a fellow student and other spiritual relations may also succeed him.