The Sanatan Faith — Page 8
8 SANĀTAN DHARM an illicit relationship with someone else for the sole purpose satiating a desire for children while her husband is yet alive. of As far as the 'benefits' of Niyog are concerned, perhaps the pundit refers to children born of Niyog that [as many as] eleven (11) boys are born ‘for free, and hence the progeny [of Hindus] increases. I hope the pundit does not mind my saying so: Such progeny is merely a blemish for a respectable man, not a means of pride. In my opinion, if a chaste woman does not bear offspring, then it is better for her to remain childless and die without chil- dren than to senselessly sleep with a stranger and bear children who would be deemed illegitimate by sane reason. If truth matters, then how can these children be considered the biological progeny of such an unfortunate cuckold when the child is not born from his sperm? These children are in fact the progeny of their biological father. It would be better if that woman had died before bearing such a child. Pundit Rām Bhajdat must not insist in this shameful tradition of Niyog. As this practice is against human dignity, it would be better to remove it from the tenets of the Āryah Samāj. An open circular should be issued, declaring: 'Dayanand has made a grave mistake on account of his celibacy and a lack of understanding of the deep sense of honour that a respectable husband bears for his wife in living together. Therefore, the Āryah Samāj eliminates this tenet from their principles. ' This statement should bear many sig- natures, so that no one may have the courage to object. Otherwise, they must remember that Niyog is a stigma for their religion. I cannot accept that any chaste woman would readily submit