Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s21.1068

v1.c3.s21.1068

Putrikā in the later literature¹ has the technical sense of the daughter of a man without sons, whom he gives in marriage on the express terms that her son shall perform the funeral rites for him, and be counted as his. The thing as well as the name is recognized by Yāska in the Nirukta,² and traced to the Rigveda.³ But the passages in the Rigveda are of very uncertain meaning,⁴ and in all probability do not refer to this custom at all.