Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s21.930

v1.c3.s21.930

Normally the son was bound to give his father full obedience.²⁰ The later Sūtras show in detail the acts of courtesy which he owed his father, and they allow him to eat the remnants of his father’s food.²¹ On the other hand, the father was expected to be kind. The story of Śunaḥśepa in the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa²² emphasizes the horror with which the father’s heartless treatment of his son was viewed. The Upaniṣads²³ insist on the spiritual succession from father to son. The kissing of a son²⁴ was a frequent and usual token of affection, even in mature years.