153. The husband who wedded her with sacred texts, always gives happiness to his wife, both in season and out of season, in this world and in the

next.

154. Though destitute of virtue, or seeking pleasure (elsewhere), or devoid of good qualities, (yet) a husband must be constantly worshipped as a god by a faithful wife.

155. No sacrifice, no vow, no fast must be performed by women apart (from their husbands); if a wife obeys her husband, she will for that (reason alone) be exalted in heaven.

156. A faithful wife, who desires to dwell (after death) with her husband, must never do anything that might displease him who took her hand, whether he be alive or dead.

157. At her pleasure let her emaciate her body by (living on) pure flowers, roots, and fruit; but she must never even mention the name of another man after her husband has died.

158. Until death let her be patient (of hardships), self-controlled, and chaste, and strive (to fulfil) that most excellent duty which (is prescribed) for wives who have one husband only.

159. Many thousands of Brâhmanas who were chaste from their youth, have gone to heaven without continuing their race.

implied by this expression. Nâr. thinks that the Pragâpati called Manu is the guardian deity of the bride, and hence the nuptial oblations are called 'the sacrifice to Pragâpati.'

155. Vi. XXVI, 15; Yâgñ. I, 77.

156-166. See below, IX, 64-68; Yâgñ. I, 75, 87.

157. Medh. takes this opportunity to strongly object to the practice of widows burning themselves with their husbands' corpses. 159. Gov. and Kull. think that the verse refers to the Vâlakhilya Rishis.

160. A virtuous wife who after the death of her husband constantly remains chaste, reaches heaven, though she have no son, just like those chaste

men.

161. But a woman who from a desire to have offspring violates her duty towards her (deceased) husband, brings on herself disgrace in this world, and loses her place with her husband (in heaven).

162. Offspring begotten by another man is here not (considered lawful), nor (does offspring begotten) on another man's wife (belong to the begetter), nor is a second husband anywhere prescribed for vir

tuous women.

163. She who cohabits with a man of higher caste, forsaking her own husband who belongs to a lower one, will become contemptible in this world, and is called a remarried woman (parapûrvâ).

164. By violating her duty towards her husband, a wife is disgraced in this world, (after death) she enters the womb of a jackal, and is tormented by diseases (the punishment of) her sin.

165. She who, controlling her thoughts, words, and deeds, never slights her lord, resides (after death) with her husband (in heaven), and is called a virtuous (wife).

166. In reward of such conduct, a female who controls her thoughts, speech, and actions, gains in this (life) highest renown, and in the next (world) a place near her husband.

160. Vi. XXVI, 17.

162. Medh., Nâr., and Nand. take the first part of the verse differently: Offspring begotten by another man does not belong (to the mother). The other explanation is given by Gov. and Kull. 165. Medh. omits verses 165-166.

167. A twice-born man, versed in the sacred law, shall burn a wife of equal caste who conducts herself thus and dies before him, with (the sacred fires used for) the Agnihotra, and with the sacrificial imple

ments.

168. Having thus, at the funeral, given the sacred fires to his wife who dies before him, he may marry again, and again kindle (the fires).

169. (Living) according to the (preceding) rules, he must never neglect the five (great) sacrifices, and, having taken a wife, he must dwell in (his own) house during the second period of his life.

CHAPTER VI.

1. A twice-born Snâtaka, who has thus lived according to the law in the order of householders, may, taking a firm resolution and keeping his organs in subjection, dwell in the forest, duly (observing the rules given below).

2. When a householder sees his (skin) wrinkled, and (his hair) white, and the sons of his sons, then he may resort to the forest.

167-168. Yâgn. I, 88.

VI. I-32. Âp. II, 2I, 18-23, 2; Gaut. III, 26-35; Vas. VI, 19-20; IX; Baudh. II, 11, 14-15; III, 18-4, 22; Vi. XCIVXCV; Yâgñ. III, 45–55.

1. Niyatah, taking a firm resolution' (Gov., Kull.), means according to Nâr. 'devoted to the restrictive duties, austerities, reciting the Veda, and so forth.' Kull. connects yathâvad, duly observing,' &c. (Gov., Nâr.), with 'keeping his organs in subjection.'

2. Medh. notes particularly that the Sishtas insist on the necessity that he who takes to forest-life must have sons and sons' sons, and that hence apatya, 'offspring,' is to be taken in this restricted sense. Nâr. holds that the verse gives three separate grounds for entering the third order, each of which is sufficient by itself, while

3. Abandoning all food raised by cultivation, and all his belongings, he may depart into the forest, either committing his wife to his sons, or accompanied by her.

4. Taking with him the sacred fire and the implements required for domestic (sacrifices), he may go forth from the village into the forest and reside there, duly controlling his senses.

5. Let him offer those five great sacrifices according to the rule, with various kinds of pure food fit for ascetics, or with herbs, roots, and fruit.

6. Let him wear a skin or a tattered garment ; let him bathe in the evening or in the morning; and let him always wear (his hair in) braids, the hair on his body, his beard, and his nails (being unclipped).

7. Let him perform the Bali-offering with such food as he eats, and give alms according to his ability; let him honour those who come to his hermitage with alms consisting of water, roots, and fruit.

8. Let him be always industrious in privately reciting the Veda; let him be patient of hardships, friendly (towards all), of collected mind, ever liberal

Medh. thinks that the three conditions must exist together. Others, however, mentioned by Medh., took the verse to give a description of the approach of old age, which entitles the householder to turn hermit.

3. If his wife desires to accompany him, she may do so. But others say that he is to leave his wife behind if she is young, but shall take her with him if she is aged' (Medh.).

6. Kîram, 'a tattered garment' (vastrakhandam, Medh., Gov., Kull.), may also mean 'a dress made of bark, Kusa grass, or the like' (Gov., Nâr., Râgh.).

8. Dântah, 'patient of hardships,' means according to Medh. and Nâr. 'free from pride.' Gov. reads in the beginning of the second

and never a receiver of gifts, and compassionate towards all living creatures.

9. Let him offer, according to the law, the Agnihotra with three sacred fires, never omitting the new-moon and full-moon sacrifices at the proper time.

10. Let him also offer the Nakshatreshti, the Âgrayana, and the Kâturmâsya (sacrifices), as well as the Turâyana and likewise the Dâkshâyana, in due order.

11. With pure grains, fit for ascetics, which grow in spring and in autumn, and which he himself has collected, let him severally prepare the sacrificial cakes (purodâsa) and the boiled messes (karu), as the law directs.

12. Having offered those most pure sacrificial viands, consisting of the produce of the forest, he may use the remainder for himself, (mixed with) salt prepared by himself.

half-verse, tyaktadvandvo 'nisam dâtâ, 'let him not care for the pairs of opposites, let him be ever liberal and compassionate towards all creatures.'

9. Yogatah, 'at the proper time' (Kull., Râgh.), means according to Medh. and Gov. 'as required by law;' according to Nâr. 'diligently.'

10. Medh. reads Darseshfi for Riksheshfi, 'the Nakshatreshi.' I read with Medh., Nâr., Nand., and Râgh., Turâyana (see Sânkh. Srauta-sûtra IV, 11) instead of Uttarâyana, 'the sacrifice at the winter-solstice,' which Gov., Kull., and K. give. The first reads also more consistently than Kull. and K.: Dakshinâyanam, 'the sacrifice at the summer-solstice,' for Dakshasyâyanam, ‘the Dâkshâyana.' The Nakshatreshi is a Srauta sacrifice offered to the lunar mansions. Regarding the variety of the Darsapaurnamâsa, called Dâkshâyana, see Âsv. Srauta-sûtra II, 14.

12. According to Kull., the hermit is to collect the salt from ûsharas, i. e. salt-marshes; according to Nâr., he is to prepare it from the kshâra, 'salt or alcaline elements' of trees and the like.