History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.381

v7.c93.381

²⁰⁶⁶ को वां शयुत्रा विधवेव देवरं मर्यं न योषा कृणुते सधस्थ आ॥ ऋ X. 40. 2. For the treatment of niyoga from ancient times, vide H. of Dh. vol. II. pp 599-607. Some regard this verse as indicating re-marriage and not niyoga But that does not appear to be correct. Manu (IX. 65) states that niyoga is nowhere mentioned among the mantras relating to marriage nor is the remarriage of a widow referred to in the procedure of marriage. But Gautama and some other sūtrahāras and even Yāj (I. 68-69) prescribe in detail the procedure and conditions governing niyoga, all writers are entirely silent about the procedure of the re-marriage of widows Therefore, it has to be said that Ṛg. X. 40 2 was rightly held by ancient smṛtis as referring to the practice of niyoga