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vol. title: vol. period: 1882 pages in vol.: 174 |
<Untitled> (According to my humble view of things…)
M. R. Ry. Raghoonatha Row Dewan Bahadur.
President of the Hindu Women’s Re-marriage association.
‘According to my humble view of things’ the secular interests of the Hindu Native are in the keeping of the Hindu Sabba in subordination to the Religious interests of the native in the keeping of Pundit-Priests. “Where a gentleman is fit like you and some others to give an opinion in both departments he is a member of both the Hindu Sabba and the Pundit Council. Knowledge and experience and ability are peculiar to each department, just as in the faculties of the University or the services of the state. Even if you do not see any incongruity in Sudras and non-Sanskrits advocating vedic ceremonies and interpreting Smrities to the Brahmin girls, you may see the utility of a division of labour. A promiscuous Remarriage association may give secular help and adherence not only to poor widows but to the Pundit Council. I am glad that you are going to have a Pundit Missionary, but he should not appear as the mere mouthpiece of a lay association. I have no objection to have in the Pundit council any Pundit as such whatever may be his views. The Re-marriage Pandits will thus be able to deliberate with all Pandits as an association instead of seeking them as Missionaries or breaking their lungs with the multitude. I have prepared some Pandits and numerous child-widows for the Preliminary ceremony of “Kanyatva Punahhraptir nama, Purvavivaha Upasamharatia Kriya. If the ceremonial marriage had or has a force however mystic, a counter mystic ceremony will dissipate it; if that had not, this will remove a superstition.
I believe the nation is with me in attaching force to ceremonies and mantrams which affect the inner man and not merely the physical. Again girls are often taken to bed before puberty, and nuptial physical union is easily denied. So there is much latitude for Avyavastha in not solemnly authorising a re-marriage.
Instead of frittering away resources on mere preaching, I should suggest the payment of Rs. 5-10 to the priest for each virgin-widow brought under the Preliminary ceremony. On this solemn foundation widows and lovers will make their own arrangements without reference to others—may be chaste widows or join a husband as they wish. What the ceremony is or should be will be settled by the Pandits and Priests amongst themselves. No more will a Brahman teach the Vedas to Sudras, or an adept his secrets of all men than the Pandit council this particular ceremony of the fourth and little known Veda. By Pandit I always mean one who can himself do a Vedic Kriya or has influence with a Priest for the purpose.
Please give a fair trial to my suggestion which can not possibly do any injury to your cause. A thing well begun is half done. With a resolution of fee for the ceremony, please let me know the names of Pandits to be put into the Pandit council. I shall join a couple of Pandits and Priests of these parts to the Pandit you send and inaugurate the ceremony in these parts. The Sradha for the deceased may then cease to be performed.”
Editor's notes
- ↑ [Two children beside a river] by unknown author, Uncaptioned colour illustration; descriptive title supplied for indexing
- ↑ [Blue flowers on a folded sheet] by unknown author, Uncaptioned colour floral illustration; descriptive title supplied for indexing
- ↑ According to my humble view of things… by unknown author (signed as A. Sankariah), Printed letter addressed to M.R.Ry.Raghoonatha Row Dewan Bahadur, President of the Hindu Women’s Re-marriage Association; publisher/date absent