History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t2.38

v5.c74.t2.38

The important verse on which reliance is placed for sanctioning religious suicide at Prayāga may be translated¹³⁷⁴ as follows. 'You should not set aside (pass over) your wish about dying at Prayāga on account of the words of the Veda or the words of the people.' The words of the Veda¹³⁷⁵ are Vāj. S. 40 3 (=Īśāvāsyopaniṣad 3) which literally translated means 'there are worlds of Asuras enveloped in blinding darkness, those who have killed themselves repair after death to those worlds' This verse does not in the context appear to refer to a person committing suicide, but rather to a person who kills his soul by remaining in ignorance of the true Self. But even learned writers and poets took it to refer to suicide (vide Uttararāmacarita, Act IV after verse 3). Another passage of the Veda on which reliance may be placed is the one in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa X. 2. 6. 7 'one ought not to yield to his own desire and pass away before the full extent of life, for it (such shortening of full life) does not make for the (heavenly) world' By 'the words of the people' are meant smṛti passages condemning suicide such as Gaut. 14. 12, Vas1375a 23. 14-15, Manu V. 88 (which says that no water is to be offered to those who kill themselves), Viṣṇu Dh S 22. 56 (ātmatyāginaḥ patitāś-ca naśaucodakabhājaḥ)