History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t2.33.3

v5.c74.t2.33.3

Not only did common men believe in the promise of the Purāṇas that those who killed themselves at Prayāga (at the saṅgama or near Vaṭa) secured mokṣa (freedom from the everlasting cycle of births and deaths) which was the highest of the four puruṣārathas (goals of human existence), but even great poets like Kālidāsa held the view that, though *mokṣa* or *kaivalya* or *apavarga* requires correct knowledge and realisation of the Supreme Spirit according to the Vedānta, Sāṅkhya and Nyāya systems, death at the sacred saṅgama led to mokṣa even without 'tattvajñāna.' In H. of Dh. vol. II pp. 925–927, historical examples of kings such as Yaśaḥ-karṇadeva, Candella Dhaṅgadev and Cālukya Someśvara committing suicide at Prayāga or the Tuṅgabhadrā have been given. The king Kumāragupta of Magadha is said to have entered the fire of dry cow-dung cakes. This is in accordance with the prescriptions in the Matsyapurāṇa 107. 9–10 (=Padma, Ādi-khaṇḍa 44 3) which states¹³⁷² 'the man who, suffering from no diseases, having no deficiency as to his limbs and being in full possession of his five senses, encompasses (his death) in cowdung fire remains honoured in heaven for as many years as there are pores on the whole of his body.'¹³⁷³ The Rājataraṅgiṇī VI. 14 refers to officers entrusted with the duty of supervising suicide by fast (prāyopaveśa).