OF A FAITHFUL HINDU WIDOW. 221 



Ha'ri'ta thus defines a loyal wife : " She, whose 

 *' sympathy feels the pains and joys of her husband; 

 " who mourns and pines in his absence, and dies 

 u when he dies, is a good and loyal wife. 



Hunt a. 



" Always revere a loyal wife, as you venerate 

 " the Divatas; for, by her virtues, the prince's em- 

 " pire may extend over the three worlds." 



Mats y a Pur ana. 



" Though the husband died unhappy by the dis- 

 u obedience of his wife : if from motives of love, 

 Ci disgust of the world, fear of living unprotected, 

 " or sorrow, she commit herself to the flames, 

 i( is entitled to veneration. " 



Malta Bhdrata. 



Obsequies for suicides are forbidden; but the 

 Rigvtda expressly declare?, " that the loyal wife who 

 i( burns herself, shall not be deemed a suicide. When 

 " a mourning of three days has been completed, the 

 " Srdddha is to be performed*. This appears from 

 " the prayer for the occasion, directed in the jSjf- 



Regularly the chief mourner for the husband 

 and for the wife, would, in many cases, be distinct 

 persons : but the Bhavishya Pur ana provides, that 



" When the widow consigns herself to the same 

 c< pile with the corpse of the deceased, whoever per- 

 " forms the Criyd for her husband, shall perform it 

 " for her." 



* The shortness of the mourning is honourable; the lc: 

 mourning is for the lowest tribe. 



<i A 





