Mahäprasthäna, präyopaveça, sallekhana Viç-A-Viç suicide
Author(s): Lavanya Pravin
Abstract: It is well known that Çri Räma and his brothers entered the Sarayü and ended their lives. Yudhiñöhira, his wife and brothers started on
mahäprasthäna; on their way each of them shed their mortal coils except Yudhisöhira. This is also a well-known story. In Tamil country Kopparuncholan, a Chola king and his longtime friend and poet Picirändaiyär left their mortal bodies by going into fasting (
präyopaveça), seated facing the north, which is known as
vaòakkirundu noṟṟal. Great yogis would go into
samädhi and leave their body. All these methods of leaving one’s life on one’s own volition fall under the term
mahäprasthäna. Sacrificin g one’s life by undergoing
sallekhana is a well-known practice of the Jains which has come to the court, recently, and is considered in the present day as committing suicide and hence a crime. The views of the
Dharmaçätra on these issues are discussed here.
Pages: 80-90 | Views: 690 | Downloads: 243Download Full Article: Click HereHow to cite this article:
Lavanya Pravin. Mahäprasthäna, präyopaveça, sallekhana Viç-A-Viç suicide. Prācyā. 2017; 9(1): 80-90.
