The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c14.s10.t2.16

c14.s10.t2.16

Raghunandana was held in great esteem by Rammohun. On the subject of concremation (*sahamaraṇa*) or burning of widows, the so-called *suttee*, against which it was Rammohun's life work to agitate until final penalization by law, he places Raghunandana in an interesting light. He says that "the Smārtta Raghunandana, the modern expounder of law in Bengal, classes concremation among the rites holding out promises of fruition." According to Rammohun, Raghunandana inculcates that learned men should not endeavour to persuade the ignorant to perform rites holding out promises of fruition. Raghunandana is thus interpreted by Rammohun as being opposed to concremation. The verdict of the ancient jurist Angirā to the effect that "there is no other course for a widow besides concremation" is interpreted by Raghunandana, says Rammohun, "as conveying exaggerated praise of the adoption of that course."⁶