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Re: question on 'sati'

From the Bhakti List Archives

sampath kumar • November 30, 1999 


--- VAgarwalV@cs.com 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

Dear Sri.Vishal Agarwal,
Thank you so much for the URL. Most useful
information!

I did not know earlier that there were specific
references to "sati" and "widow-remarriage" in the
Atharvana-veda and the "manu-smriti". Thanks to you I
now have the direct references though not in the
original text form.

It still however leaves my question unanswered as to
why great "achAryA-s" like adi Sankara or
SriRamanujAchArya remained silent on the issue! Is it
because they too like us in the present times felt
that the Vedas did not have anything definitive to say
on the subject? Is their silence reflective of what
seems to us now as one of those examples of Vedic
"equivocation" on the whole subject?

"sati" was outlawed in India by the passing of the
famous "Sarada Act", I think. Wonder if the
transcripts of the parliamentary debates (if one can
lay hands on them) leading to that historic enactment
could possibly throw some light on this. adiyen really
wonders.
dAsan,
Sampathkumaran
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