What is the Hindu/Indian custom regarding a woman if her husband dies?
I’m under the impression that in some cases, if the woman is alone and cannot support herself, she joins her husband on the funeral pyre. In ancient India, women sometimes voluntarily entered the funeral pyre along with their husbands in what was called the “sati rite.” The sati tradition has its origins in the Puranic history. Sati refers to the chaste (sati) wife of Lord Shiva, who is said to have destroyed her own body in mystic fire. The Srimad Bhagavatam narrates that Sati wanted to give up her bodily connection to her father because of his offensive attitude towards Lord Shiva. To do this she became absorbed in mystic yoga and meditated on the fire element within, quitting her body in blazing fire generated from her meditation. Continued>> Submit questions on Hinduism to Swami Tripurari by e-mailing sangaeditor@swami.org or by visiting his website: www.swami.org/sanga.
