CHAP. 'bathe and taste clarified butter, but, if he have eaten already, let him only perform an ablution: for him, who has been connected with a woman, bathing is ordained by law. 145. Having slumbered, having sneezed, having eaten, having spitten, having told untruths, having 'drunk water, and going to read sacred books, let him, though pure, wash his mouth. 6 146. This perfect system of rules for purifying men of all classes, and for cleansing inanimate things, ' has been declared to you: hear now the laws concerning women. 6 147. By a girl, or by a young woman, or by a woman advanced in years, nothing must be done, even in her own dwelling place, according to her mere pleasure: 148. In childhood must a female be dependent on her father; in youth, on on her her husband; her lord being dead, on her sons; if she have no sons, on the near kinsmen of her husband; if he left no kinsmen, on those of her father; if she have no paternal kinsC men, on the sovereign: a woman must never seek independence. 149. Never let her wish to separate herself from her father, her husband, or her sons; for, by a separation from them, she exposes both families to 'contempt. 150. She must always live with a cheerful temper, V. 'with good management in the affairs of the house, CHAP. with great care of the household furniture, and with a frugal hand in all her expences. 151. · Him, to whom her father has given her, or 'her brother with the paternal assent, let her obsequiously honour, while he lives; and, when he dies, let her never neglect him. 6 152. The recitation of holy texts, and the sacri'fice ordained by the lord of creatures, are used in marriages for the sake of procuring good fortune to brides; but the first gift, or troth plighted, by the 'husband, is the primary cause and origin of marital ⚫ dominion. 153. When the husband has performed the nuptial rites with texts from the Véda, he gives bliss continually to his wife here below, both in season and ' out of season; and he will give her happiness in 'the next world. 154. Though inobservant of approved usages, enamoured of another woman, or devoid of good 'qualities, yet a husband must constantly be revered as a god by a virtuous wife. 3 155. No sacrifice is allowed to women apart from 'their husbands, no religious rite, no fasting as far only as a wife honours her lord, so far she is exalted in heaven. 6 156. A faithful wife, who wishes to attain in heaven • the CHAP. the mansion of her husband, must do nothing unkind to him, be he living or dead: V. 157. Let her emaciate her body, by living voluntarily on pure flowers, roots, and fruit; but let her not, when her lord is deceased, even pronounce the name of another man. 158. Let her continue till death forgiving all injuries, 'performing harsh duties, avoiding every sensual pleasure, and cheerfully practising the incomparable rules ' of virtue, which have been followed by such women, as were devoted to one only husband. 159. Many thousands of Bráhmens, having avoided sensuality from their early youth, and having left no issue in their families, have ascended, nevertheless, 'to heaven; 6 6 6 160. And, like those abstemious men, a virtuous wife ascends to heaven, though she have no child, ' if, after the decease of her lord, she devote herself to pious austerity: 161. But a widow, who, from a wish to bear chil dren, slights her deceased husband by marrying again, brings disgrace on herself here below, and 'shall be excluded from the seat of her lord. 162. Issue, begotten on a woman by any other than her husband, is here declared to be no progeny of hers; no more than a child, begotten on the 'wife of another man, belongs to the begetter: nor is ' a second 6 a second husband allowed, in any part of this code, CHAP. 6 to a virtuous woman. 6 163. She, who neglects her former (púrva) lord, though of a lower class, and takes another (para) ' of a higher, becomes despicable in this world, and ' is called parapúrvá, or one who had a different hus• band before. 164. A married woman, who violates the duty, ' which she owes to her lord, brings infamy on her'self in this life, and, in the next, shall enter the womb of a shakal, or be afflicted with elephantiasis, ' and other diseases, which punish crimes; 165. While she, who slights not her lord, but keeps her mind, speech, and body, devoted to him, attains his heavenly mansion, and by good men is called sádhwì, or virtuous. 166. Yes; by this course of life it is, that a wo man, whose mind, speech, and body are kept in subjection, acquires high renown in this world, and, in the next, the same abode with her husband. 167. A twice-born man, versed in sacred ordinances, must burn, with hallowed fire and fit imple'ments of sacrifice, his wife dying before him, if she ' was of his own class, and lived by these rules : 6 168. Having thus kindled sacred fires, and per'formed funeral rites to his wife, who died before him, he may again marry, and again light the 6 VI. |