Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v2.c17.13.1

v2.c17.13.1

Cp. Weinhold, *Die deutschen Frauen*, i, 242; Lüders, “Die Jātakas u. d. Epik,” ZDMG, 58, p. 706 f.; Ralston, *Songs of the Russian People*, p. 316; Fr. S. Krauss, *Slav. Folkforsch.*, p. 113; F. v. d. Leyen, “Entstehung d. Märchens,” *Herrigs Archiv*, Bd. 114, p. 12, and the references there; “Den heiligen Petrus u. d. trauernde Mutter” in the splendid *Sagen u. Märchen d. Südslawen* of Fr. S. Krauss, 1884, Bd. ii, 307 ff.; *Zschr. d. Ver. f. Volksk.*, Bd. 3, p. 151; Caland, *Toten- u. Bestattungsgebr.*, p. 74. Often found in India is the belief best expressed in Yājñavalkya, iii, 11 (= Garuḍapur., Pretakalpa, 4.80b-81a; xv, 58): “Since the poor dead one has to drink the tears shed by his kinsfolk together with the mucus, we must not weep; we must, so far as we can, carry out the works that fall to our duty.” By this are meant, anyhow in the first place, the death rites that are helpful to the welfare of the dead one. But a further thought that finds expression in the burial-songs of the Veda—those that are still alive belong to life with its business and its joy—may also be found here. The same saying is found again, e.g. in Garuḍapurāṇasārod., xi, 4, only that here the last pāda is altered to say that all grieving is useless after all, a view stressed in India countless times on such occasions. Weeping for those snatched away is over and over again forbidden in the law writings, especially at the celebration of the death rites.