Changes

Jump to navigation Jump to search
added content from Manusmriti
Line 1: Line 1:  
{{ToBeEdited}}
 
{{ToBeEdited}}
   −
The term literally means (viśiṣṭaḥ vāhaḥ prāpaṇam) to make a girl attain wifehood, i.e. earlier there was "strītvam" (girlhood) and after marriage she attains "bhāryātvam" (wifehood) also. This Saṃskāra is the most important of all.
+
The term Vivaha literally means (viśiṣṭaḥ vāhaḥ prāpaṇam) to make a girl attain wifehood, i.e. earlier there was "strītvam" (girlhood) and after marriage she attains "bhāryātvam" (wifehood) also. This Saṃskāra is the most important of all.
    
== Institution of Marriage ==
 
== Institution of Marriage ==
Taittirīyasaṃhitā (6.3.10.5) says that a Brāhmaṇa is born with three debts and the debts of sages and forefathers have to be cleared by performing Yajñas (sacrifices) and producing children –
+
Taittirīyasaṃhitā (6.3.10.5) says that a Brāhmaṇa is born with three debts and the debts of sages and forefathers have to be cleared by performing Yajñas (sacrifices) and producing children –<blockquote>जायमानो ह वै ब्राह्मणस्त्रिभिर्ऋणवान् जायते ब्रह्मचर्येण ऋषिभ्यः यज्ञेन देवेभ्यः प्रजया पितृभ्यः एष वा अनृणो यः पुत्री यज्वा ब्रह्मचारिवासी . . .</blockquote><blockquote>jāyamāno ha vai brāhmaṇastribhirṛṇavān jāyate brahmacaryeṇa ṛṣibhyaḥ yajñena devebhyaḥ prajayā pitṛbhyaḥ eṣa vā anṛṇo yaḥ putrī yajvā brahmacārivāsī . . .</blockquote>A Brāhmaṇa is born with three debts – he has to clear the debt of sages through Brahmacaryam (celibacy), that of deities / Gods through Yajñas (sacrifices) and that of forefathers through producing children. Therefore the Brāhmaṇa would be debtless if he has children, performs sacrifices and maintains Brahmacaryam.
   −
जायमानो ह वै ब्राह्मणस्त्रिभिर्ऋणवान् जायते ब्रह्मचर्येण ऋषिभ्यः यज्ञेन देवेभ्यः प्रजया पितृभ्यः एष वा अनृणो यः पुत्री यज्वा ब्रह्मचारिवासी . . .
+
== Bride and bridegroom ==
 +
The bride and the groom in general should be free from bodily ailments, agreeable name, good gait and delicate limbs and must be of a good family and faultless lineage. The following aspects are evaluated in choosing a bride or groom.
 +
# Biological factors - certain body structure, defects, virility etc
 +
# Psychological issues - such as mental illnesses, epilepsy, etc
 +
# Dharmik aspects - such as not being Sagotra or Sapinda of each other, should have vedic education in family etc
 +
# Social aspects - such as a bride having brothers or not, if born of improper marriage, character, education etc.
 +
# Heriditary matters - such as whether the families have male progeny
 +
Manu gives a list of types of families, girls from which should not be accepted for wedlock, even though the families may be “ever so great, or rich in cows, horses, sheep, grain, or other property”. <blockquote>महान्त्यपि समृद्धानि गोऽजाविधनधान्यतः । स्त्रीसंबन्धे दशैतानि कुलानि परिवर्जयेत् । । ३.६ । ।</blockquote><blockquote>हीनक्रियं निष्पुरुषं निश्छन्दो रोमशार्शसम् । क्षयामयाव्यपस्मारि श्वित्रिकुष्ठिकुलानि च । । ३.७ (Manu. Smrt. 3.6-7)<ref>Manusmrti ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 3])</ref></blockquote>These families are:<ref>Pandharinath H. Valavalkar (1939) ''Hindu Social Institutions with reference to their psychological implications.'' Bombay: Longmans, Green and Co. Ltd (Pages 158-159)</ref>
 +
# One which neglects the dharmas, i. e. their duties and obligations according to the sastras.
 +
# One in which no male children are born.
 +
# One in which the Veda is not studied.
 +
# One, the members of which (a) have thick hair on their body or (b) are subject to any of the following: hemorrhoids, pthisis, weakness of digestion, epilepsy, and leprosy.
 +
The third and fourth types of families have to be avoided due, it is evident, to biological considerations. They suggest that the smrtikaras were impressed by the influence of heredity on man. A maiden from a family in which there is a hereditary disease prevalent of the type mentioned above is quite likely to be a victim of that disease herself ; again she is likely also to transfer it to her progeny. Similar considerations of the influence of heredity seem to prevail with the smrtikaras when they prescribe certain other qualifications for the bride.
   −
jāyamāno ha vai brāhmaṇastribhirṛṇavān jāyate brahmacaryeṇa ṛṣibhyaḥ yajñena devebhyaḥ prajayā pitṛbhyaḥ eṣa vā anṛṇo yaḥ putrī yajvā brahmacārivāsī . . .
  −
  −
A Brāhmaṇa is born with three debts – he has to clear the debt of sages through Brahmacaryam (celibacy), that of deities / Gods through Yajñas (sacrifices) and that of forefathers through producing children. Therefore the Brāhmaṇa would be debtless if he has children, performs sacrifices and maintains Brahmacaryam.
  −
  −
== Bride and bridegroom ==
   
Gautamadharmasūtram (Chapter 4) prescribed the qualifications of a bride and bridegroom –<blockquote>गृहस्थः सदृशीं भार्यां विन्दते अनन्यपूर्वां यवीयसीम् (४.१)</blockquote><blockquote>gṛhasthaḥ sadṛśīṃ bhāryāṃ vindate ananyapūrvāṃ yavīyasīm (4.1)</blockquote>One who wants to become a household should get a girl, who is of the same caste, not promised to others and younger in age.
 
Gautamadharmasūtram (Chapter 4) prescribed the qualifications of a bride and bridegroom –<blockquote>गृहस्थः सदृशीं भार्यां विन्दते अनन्यपूर्वां यवीयसीम् (४.१)</blockquote><blockquote>gṛhasthaḥ sadṛśīṃ bhāryāṃ vindate ananyapūrvāṃ yavīyasīm (4.1)</blockquote>One who wants to become a household should get a girl, who is of the same caste, not promised to others and younger in age.
   −
Kāmasūtra (3.1.2) recommends an age gap of three years between the bride and groom. Just like raw pepper causes phlegm and dry pepper kills the phlegm, a girl elder than the groom would affect the longevity of the groom. Āyurveda says this clearly –<blockquote>बाला प्राणप्रदा प्रोक्ता युवती प्राणधारिणी।</blockquote><blockquote>प्रौढा करोति वृद्धत्वं बृद्धा मरणमादिशेत्॥</blockquote><blockquote>bālā prāṇapradā proktā yuvatī prāṇadhāriṇī।</blockquote><blockquote>prauḍhā karoti vṛddhatvaṃ bṛddhā maraṇamādiśet॥</blockquote>A girl much younger in age would increase the longevity of the groom, a young girl, i.e. younger in age but not too younger, would help maintain the longevity of the groom, a girl older in age would cause early ageing and too older a lady would cause early death.<blockquote>असमानप्रवरैः विप्राः (४.२)</blockquote><blockquote>asamānapravaraiḥ viprāḥ (4.2)</blockquote>The marriage should be between a bride and groom of different Pravaras.
+
Kāmasūtra (3.1.2) recommends an age gap of three years between the bride and groom. Just like raw pepper causes phlegm and dry pepper kills the phlegm, a girl elder than the groom would affect the longevity of the groom. Āyurveda says this clearly –<blockquote>बाला प्राणप्रदा प्रोक्ता युवती प्राणधारिणी। प्रौढा करोति वृद्धत्वं बृद्धा मरणमादिशेत्॥</blockquote><blockquote>bālā prāṇapradā proktā yuvatī prāṇadhāriṇī। prauḍhā karoti vṛddhatvaṃ bṛddhā maraṇamādiśet॥</blockquote>A girl much younger in age would increase the longevity of the groom, a young girl, i.e. younger in age but not too younger, would help maintain the longevity of the groom, a girl older in age would cause early ageing and too older a lady would cause early death.<blockquote>असमानप्रवरैः विप्राः (४.२) asamānapravaraiḥ viprāḥ (4.2)</blockquote>The marriage should be between a bride and groom of different Pravaras. Smṛtis prohibited marriage between a bride and groom of the same Gotra (i.e. those who are the progeny of the same sage).
 
  −
Smṛtis prohibited marriage between a bride and groom of the same Gotra (i.e. those who are the progeny of the same sage).
      
A girl and a boy having Sāpiṇḍya (blood relation) should not marry:<blockquote>ऊर्ध्वं सप्तमात् पितृबन्धुभ्यः। बीजिनश्च। मातृबन्धुभ्यः पञ्चमात्। (४.३,४,५)</blockquote><blockquote>ūrdhvaṃ saptamāt pitṛbandhubhyaḥ। bījinaśca। mātṛbandhubhyaḥ pañcamāt। (4.3, 4, 5)</blockquote>Seven generations above father or appointed father (who provides children through Niyoga / arrangement) and five generations above mother is the limit to select the girl.
 
A girl and a boy having Sāpiṇḍya (blood relation) should not marry:<blockquote>ऊर्ध्वं सप्तमात् पितृबन्धुभ्यः। बीजिनश्च। मातृबन्धुभ्यः पञ्चमात्। (४.३,४,५)</blockquote><blockquote>ūrdhvaṃ saptamāt pitṛbandhubhyaḥ। bījinaśca। mātṛbandhubhyaḥ pañcamāt। (4.3, 4, 5)</blockquote>Seven generations above father or appointed father (who provides children through Niyoga / arrangement) and five generations above mother is the limit to select the girl.

Navigation menu