[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930) › v5.c72.232 # History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.232 History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.232 - **Language:** English ### [v5.c72.232.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v5.c72.232.1) The Sat. Śr. 29. 1 3 ff. and Baud. P. S. I. 17–20 provide a lengthy procedure for erecting a mound over the bones of one who has performed the special rite of \*agnicayana\* which is passed over here. In building a mound the urn deposited under a tree is taken out and after the bones are purified in various ways (such as the spilling on them of curds mixed with \*vājina\* from a jar, the digging up of the clods by means of a plough to which a certain number of oxen are yoked). The Sat. Śr. (29. 1. 3–12) deals with one kind of procedure in which there is no \*dhāvana\*, while 29.1. 13–32 deal with the procedure where \*dhāvana\* is employed and sūtras from 33 deal with procedure common to both \*pakṣas\* (viz. one without \*dhāvana\* and the other with \*dhāvana\*) The building of a mound with clods (\*loṣṭaciti\*) in which there is \*dhāvana\* is rather an obscure matter in its nature and had some symbolic significance which is now lost. It may be briefly described as follows.—The members of the deceased's house build a shed or a seat for a bed. They drive in the eastern half or middle or western half of it a three-pronged palāśa peg. In front of it one born of a śūdra woman or a \*brahmabandhu\* (a brāhmaṇa only in name) sits down for a dialogue He asks the principal wife (of the deceased) 'will you dwell with me.' That woman replies to him 'I shall not give (what you ask).' The same dialogue takes place on the 2nd day. ### [v5.c72.232.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v5.c72.232.2) Then on the third day she replies 'I shall give for one night' Or if this peculiar practice (of talking about dhavana, which literally means 'sexual intercourse') was intended to last for more days than three she was to give a suitable reply (viz. for three nights or for five nights &c). When the words of the reply are uttered by the wife, the performer deposits the bones (of the deceased) at the root of the peg and places between the three prongs of the peg a jar having a hundred holes at the bottom The mouth of the jar is covered with a hide and kuśa grass On that jar he sprinkles curds mixed with \*vājina\* with the mantra 'Vaiśvānare haviridam' (Tai. Ā. VI 6. 1). When the liquid oozes from the jar on the bones he invokes the two verses 'drapsaś-caskanda' and 'imam samudram' (Tai. Ā. VI 6). Then the Sat Śr. (29.1. 26-29) provides that four \*brahmacārins\* or other brāhmaṇas, that are pure, tie up their locks on their heads that are to the right and keep dishevelled those on the left side of the head, they strike their right thighs and also the hide that is wound round the jar of bones, fan it with the fringes of their garments, go round the peg thrice with their left side towards the jar and the people living in the same house (with the deceased) and women also do the same,⁵⁷⁰ that lutes (vīṇā) are played upon and also conches are blown and other instruments like \*nākhā, tūṇa, paṇava\* are beaten and there is also dancing, singing and playing on musical instruments. ### [v5.c72.232.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v5.c72.232.3) This practice of \*dhavana\* (symbolic) may go on for five, seven, nine, eleven days, half a month, a month or a year during which time one has to donate food and money (gold &c) according to one s ability or on the last day according to some.⁵⁷¹ If one may offer a conjecture, this rite was intended to assure the deceased man (represented by the charred bones) that his wife had remained faithful and unattached to any one else even long after his death. The Baud. P. S. (I. 17.8) also states that female dancers dance in this rite. Various measurements are given in the sūtras for the mounds that are constructed over the bones. Sat. Śr. (29.1 5–6) says⁵⁷² that the site of the mound (\*śmaśānāyatana\*) is five \*prakramas\* on all four sides (or six on the east and five in the other directions, acc. to some). The height of the mound is variously given even in the same sūtra.⁵⁷³ Sat Śr. states that the height may be two finger-breadths, or three or four or a \*prādeśa\* (the distance between the thumb and index finger when both are stretched away) or a \*vitasti\* (twelve finger-breadths), or it may be up to the knee or thighs or buttocks The Baud P S. I. 18 gives different⁵⁷⁴ measurements. It states 'if the mound to be raised is as high as the neck towards the west, then it is up to the navel on the east, if it is as high as the navel on the west, then it is as high as the knee on the east; if up to the knee on the west then on the east it is level with the ankle'. ### [v5.c72.232.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v5.c72.232.4) The Kauśikasūtra⁵⁷⁵ (85 4–10) gives certain options viz. the mandapa on which the mound is to be erected is either 7, 7, 5, 3 prakramas on the south, north, east and west or 9, 9, 7, 5 on the same sides in order or 11, 11, 9, 7; that in the case of those who worshipped the gods, the length was eleven on all sides; that in the case of the Śaunakīns the sides (of the mound) are to be measured in odd numbers (of prakramas) and the mounds are either round or four-cornered; that such mounds are seen (in those days) and that the grave built for one who had set up vedic fires was to be of the height of a man with arms upraised. These passages show that the graves were generally quadrangular but sometimes round also (acc. to-certain schools). The mounds at Lauriya referred to above are round. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v5.c72.232](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v5.c72.232) · Pramāṇa