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Re: question on 'sati'

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Sadagopan • November 30, 1999 


Dear Sri Vishal Agarwal:

Many Thanks for the splendid reference
to Dr.Frank Morales work and your annotated comments
from Vedic sources on this question of "Sati".
Any civilization is to be judged on the basis of how
it treats women, Children and Older citizens .

In this context , I can not but lean towards  VedAs , 
which have their preeminent place in the hierarchy of
PramANams . Hence I will put a lower emphasis on 
PurANAs and rely on the guidance of Vedic wisdom .

The human suffering of the widows in India especially
in the villages and the cruelty shown to them even today 
is legendary .Besides the profound pain of loss of
the loved one , the living hell that they experience 
is indescribable. My father had an aunt , who was married 
as in the olden times at the age of eight .Her "Child"
husband died at the age of 12 from an accidnet . I remember well my
father's aunt being shunted from one house to the other 
(Her brother's and other relatives ) and literally
going out of her mind .The (menatal) himsais caused to her 
and others in their unfortunate status are a sad blot 
to our history as people believing in the great 
declaration , "AhimsA paramO dharma:".This makes one shudder. 
I am totally against this type of treatment of women 
and am absolutely abhorred by the thought of Sati being
practised in this day and age anywhere .

V.Sadagopan    
 
 At 06:18 PM 11/29/99 EST, you wrote:
>The following URL will give some useful information on the 'Vedaness' of Sati 
>and Widow remarraige:
>http://members.home.net/lumiere/karma/kewidow.htm
>
>Best wishes
>
>Vishal
>
>In a message dated 11/28/99 10:06:30 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
>sampathkumar_2000@yahoo.com writes:
><< 
> Also adiyen would like to know if any of you have any
> idea if "sati" in those days had Vedic basis or not.
> Any pramANams?
> 
> Thanks,
> dAsan,
> Sampathkumaran >>
>
>