From: sp2@cec1.wustl.edu (Sundara Pandian)
Subject: Puri Sankaracharya on Sati ( was Re: Sati )
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis Mo.
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 21:17:48 GMT

In article <DPf-lC@engin.umich.edu> srini@engin.umich.edu (Srinivasan Pichumani) writes:
>In article <1992Aug19.194345.28252@wuecl.wustl.edu> sp2@cec1.wustl.edu (Sundara Pandian) writes:
>>In article <MANI.92Aug19120031@aix.Berkeley.EDU> mani@sprite.Berkeley.EDU writes:
>
>> the Manu-dharma-sastra , a Brahministic work. A good question
>> is whether sati is supported in Manu-dharma-sastra. It can
>> be checked.
>>                                                S.Pandian.
>>                                        sp2@cec1.WUSTL.edu
>
>Prof.Wendy Doniger (she used to be known as Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty in her
>earlier works) of the University of Chicago has translated the Manu Smrti
>very recently and it has been published by Penguin books in paperback form.
>She gave a talk on this subject at U of M a year ago.
>
>On this very specific point of "Sati" and Manu, she mentioned that while 
>Manu held a very male chauvinistic view of many other things in general,
>there is no reference to this practice of widow-burning or an injunction
>to that effect in the Manu-smrti.
>
>--Srini.

    I agree with you.
    I have also checked Manu-smrti, it doesn't mention on sati.
 I checked other references and I find that sati is not 
 compulsory, but voluntray.
    Also, there is one error in my reply to Mani Varadharajan.
 Ram's three mothers did not commit sati. ( I wrote that Sumitra
 committed sati ). So it is clear that sati is not compulsory.
 But to get an idea of what other scriptures say on sati, I
 quote some excerpts from an interview with Sankaracharya of
 Puri.
 
 Q : What is your view on the issues of sati and widows ?
 A :  I have no views on this. I only quote the scriptures.

 Q : And what do the scriptures say? Which scriptures, that is ?
 A :  The Vedas, all the Smrithis, the Dharam Sindhu, Likhit Sindhu,
     etc., all detail the factors that justify sati - who should
     become a sati, how one should become a sati, who should not.
     (With emphasis) who should not become a sati. I only quote
     all that. It's not my opinion.

 Q : In which circumstances should one commit sati ?
 A :  If a woman is so deeply in love with her husband after his
     death she does not want to live for a minute. And she         
     possesses so much strength and courage that she is capable
     of burning to death with her husband. Only such woman should
     become a sati.
 
 Q : Where is this stated ?
 A :  I told you. Nimay Sindhu, Dharam Sindhu, Angina Smrithi,
     Satatmak Smrithi, Shank Smrithi, Likhit Smriti, etc.

 Q : So it's all written there ?
 A :  All this is written in the scriptures.

 Q : What should a widow in other circumstances ?
 A :  If she is unwilling to burn herself, she should lead the pure
     life of a brahmacharni ( celibate ). She should not become a
     sati. ( more details deleted )

 Q : Are you saying, basically, that in certain situations sati is
     necessary ?
 A :  It's not compulsory. Voluntary.

 Q : Voluntary ?
 A :  It is nowhere written that sati must take place whatever the
    circumstances. In practice it is so. Ram's three mothers did
    not commit sati. Pandu had two wives. Of them one committed
    sati, the other did not. It is not compulsory to commit sati.

 Q : Could you please summarise whatever you have read out ?
 A :  Briefly, it says how a woman who wants to commit sati should
     go about doing it. She should go near her husband's pyre, with
     flowers, fruits etc., in her aanchal, give the symbols of her
     fortunate martial status to the other fortunate women and then
     placing a pearl in her mouth, should pray to Agni, the fire
     god, and enter the flames. At the moment of her entering the
     fire, Brahmins should chant mantras, to the effect that this
     woman who is entering the flames should be awarded with entry
     into heaven via her husband's pyre.
       It is further stated that a preganant woman should not commit
     sati. A menstruating woman too should not commit sati. She who
     has small children should also not become a sati. Should a
     menstruating woman desire to commit sati, let her husband be
     burnt but five days later, along with his sandals ( kharaon )
     she should wait for four days before immolating herself, she
     should grind 10 kilos of rice grain with a grinder in an    
     earthenware container. This will purify her blood. Then she
     should donate 30,20, or 10 cows - 30 if it's the first day,
     20 if it's the second, 10 on the third - bathe five times in
     mud and that very day immolate herself. This is the gist.
     There are restrictions. Sati is not compulsory.

 Q : What do the Vedas say ?
 A :  Huh ?

 Q : The four Vedas, Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda and Yajur
     Veda.
 A :  The Rig Veda has a mantra during a prayer. It says that
     Brahmins should pray using this mantra, that this woman is
     becoming a sati and so. O sun god, transport this woman to
     her husband's abode.
      The Atharva Veda mantra is that this woman, standing by
     his pyre and desirous of going to her husband's abode,
     observing traditional rites, is entering the fire. She
     should be rewarded with bliss by her husband's side as
     well as wealth and sons in the future. Then, this follows :
     `O departed soul, this woman is preparing to die and follow
     you from this world you have attained by your good deeds by
     entering the flames. '

 Q : So this is written in the Vedas ?
 A :  Yes.
 
 Q : But don't the Vedas say that a widow can remarry ?
 A :  No.

 Q : That a woman should have the same rights as a man ? Can she
      remarry or not ? What do you think ?
 A :  Don't say that this is written in the Vedas.

                                                  - S.Pandian.
                                            sp2@cec1.WUSTL.edu
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