History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c32.15

v2.c32.15

The burning of a widow on the death of her husband is called *sahamarana* or *sahagamana* or *anvārohaṇa* (when she ascends the funeral pyre of her husband and is burnt along with his corpse ), but *anumaraṇa* occurs when, after her husband is cremated elsewhere and she learns of his death, the widow resolves upon death and is burnt with the husband's ashes or his *pādukās* ( sandals ) or even without any memento of his if none be available¹⁴⁷² ( vide Aparārka p. 111 and Madanapārijāta p. 198 ). In the Kumārasambhava ( IV. 34 ) of Kālidāsa, Rati, the wife of Kāma who was burnt by Śiva, speaks of throwing herself into fire, but is held back by a heavenly voice. In the Gāthāsaptaśatī ( VII. 33 ) there is a reference to a woman being decked for anumaraṇa (Nirṇ. ed.). The Kāmasūtra VI. 3.53 speaks of anumaraṇa. It has been shown (at p. 579) how Varāhamihira admires women for their courage in being burnt with their husbands. The Harṣacarita ( Ucchvāsa 5 ) describes how Yaśomatī, the chief queen of king Prabhākaravardhana and mother of Harṣa, consigned herself to fire when the king was dying. But this is not a proper case of *satī*, as she burnt herself even before her husband died. In another passage of the Harṣacarita ( V, in the description of night ) the glory of moon-lotuses is said to be laughing like a woman intent on anumaraṇa, who is decked with ear ornaments and wears garlands on her head.¹⁴⁷³ Bāṇa in his Kādambarī in a most eloquent and well-reasoned passage condemns anumaraṇa.¹⁴⁷⁴ The Bhāgavatapurāṇa¹⁴⁷⁵ I. 13. 57 speaks of Gāndhārī's burning herself on the death of her husband, Dhṛtarāṣṭra. The Rājataraṅgiṇī cites in several places (e. g. VI. 107, 195; VII. 103, 478) examples of *satī*.