Sati

01.09.05

Why would a government want to ban sati worship? Because it would otherwise be encouraging satis’, i.e. wives’ burning themselves at husbands’ funeral pyre? Is the opposition to sati based on the law against suicide? Is sati suicide? Fundamentally, no. Because suicide is born of sorrow, whereas sati is born of love. Sorrow is something one does not want, let alone its ultimate manifestation of suicide. But love is ever sought after and thus can sati, its ultimate expression, be a negative thing that ought to be banned? Sati must be celebrated as a celebration of love.