Savitribai Phule · Sanskrit Story

The Wedding That Broke a Silence

विधवाविवाहः

Hari Narke (ed.) — Savitribai Phule Samagra Vangmay; R. O'Hanlon — Caste, Conflict and Ideology (1985) · Intermediate

The Law of Suffering

समाजः अशासत् — "विधवा पुनर्न विवहेत्।" "सा श्वेतवस्त्रं धारयेत्, केशान् मुण्डयेत्।" "सा उत्सवेषु न गच्छेत्, न हसेत्, न नृत्येत्।" इयम् आज्ञा मानवताविरुद्धा — सावित्री अजानात्। सा इयं आज्ञां स्वीकर्तुं नैच्छत्।

Society commanded — "A widow shall not remarry." "She shall wear white, shave her head." "She shall not attend celebrations, shall not laugh, shall not dance." These ājñā (आज्ञाः — commands) were against humanity — Savitribai knew it. She refused to accept them.

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