Notes

1. "Pure men of the first three castes shall prepare the food of a householder" (Brahman or other high caste).
   "Or Shudras (servile caste) may prepare the food under the superintendence of men of the first three castes."
   – Apastamba II. 2, 3. I. 4. ↩
2. "There are four castes—Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Shudras."
   "Amongst these, each preceding caste is superior by birth to the one following." – Apastamba I. 1, 1, 3, 4.
   "The Brahmana, the Kshatriya and the Vaisya castes are the twice-born ones, but the fourth, the Shudra, has one birth only; there is no fifth caste."–Manu x. 4. ↩
3. See the "Marital Rights" section of Chapter IV ↩
4. A man aged thirty years shall marry a maiden of twelve who pleases him, or a man of twenty-four a girl of eight years of age.–Manu ix., 94. ↩
5. My readers would perhaps be interested to see these commandments; they are as follows:– "After having taught the Veda, the teacher instructs the pupil:
   
   Say what is true.
   Do thy duty.
   Do not neglect the study of the Veda.
   After having brought to thy teacher his proper reward, do not cut off the line of children! i. e. Do not remain unmarried).
   Do not swerve from the truth.
   Do not swerve from duty.
   Do not neglect what is useful.
   Do not neglect the learning and teaching of the Veda.
   Do not neglect the sacrificial works due to the gods and fathers.
   Let thy mother be to thee like unto a god.
   Let thy father be to thee like unto a god.
   Let thy teacher be to thee like unto a god.
   Let thy guests be to thee like unto a god.
   Whatever actions are blameless those should be regarded, not others.
   Whatever good works have been performed by us, should be observed by thee, not others."
   –Taittiriya Upanishad, Valli, i. An. xi., 1, 2.↩
6. In all cases except those directly connected with life and death, the British Government is bound according to the treaties concluded with the inhabitants of India, not to interfere with their social and religious customs and laws; judicial decisions are given accordingly. ↩
7. It should be borne in mind that according to the popular belief there is no other heaven to a woman than the seat or mansion of her husband, where she shares the heavenly bliss with him in the next world if she be faithful to him in thought, word and deed. The only place where she can be independent of him is in hell. ↩