In this article you will learn about the Types of Hindu Marriage.
Types of Hindu Marriage
There are eight different kinds of Hindu marriages, according to mythology. This impression is reinforced by historical accounts, which state that some of these kinds of unions were common among Hindus in ancient India. Even though not all eight marriages were approved by religion, it is said that many Hindu communities back in antiquity observed these unions. Many of them, it is argued, are still present among Hindus. The eight different kinds of Hindu weddings that take place in India are covered in this article.
1. Brahma marriage
A boy can get married in accordance with Brahma marriage after completing his Brahmacharya (student hood). When parents are looking for a wife for their son, they take the girl's family history into account. Conversely, the father of the bride would guarantee that the boy has become knowledgeable about the Vedas. This was the method used to arrange Brahma marriages. There was no dowry system in place. Of the eight kinds of marriages, brahma marriage is the most important kind.
2. Daiva Marriage
In this kind of marriage, the girl's family holds off on getting her married until a specific moment. They would marry off their daughter to locations where sacrifices are made if they are unable to find a suitable match for her. The girl in question is typically married to a priest who performs sacrifices. The sastras state that because Daiva marriage is viewed as demeaning to womanhood, it is inferior to Brahma marriage.
3. Arsha Marriage
When a girl marries a sage or rishi, it is known as an arsha marriage. Dharmasastra references inform us that in an arsha marriage, the bride receives two cows in return from the groom. Usually, the girl marries an elderly wise man. The fact that the bride was exchanged for cows demonstrates that not even the groom is particularly special. As per the sastras, there were no financial or commercial exchanges during noble marriages. As a result, these unions were not regarded as noble.
4. Prajapatya Marriage
Unlike the Brahma marriage, where these two play a significant and fundamental role, the Prajapatya marriage does not include monetary transactions or Kanyadaan. In contrast to a Brahma marriage, the father of the bride looks for a groom for his daughter. Because the Brahma type involves the groom's family going out to find a suitable bride for their son, it is thought to be superior to prajapatya.
Brahma, Daiva, Arsha and Prajapatya are examples of sanctioned marriage types. These are considered as the approved forms of marriage. Gifts are exchanged in these marriages, known as the "gift of a maiden" (kanyādāna).
5. Gandharva Marriage
Gandharva marriages and love marriages are comparable. The bride and groom in this instance wed in secret, keeping their parents in the dark. Since the parents' consent is not obtained, it is not regarded as a proper type of marriage. The marriage between Sakuntala and Dushyanta, two mythological figures, is reminiscent of our own.
6. Asura Marriage
The groom in the Asura marriage is completely unfit for the bride. The groom voluntarily gives the bride's parents and other family members as much wealth as he can afford, despite the fact that he is unfit for her. Consequently, the marriage system is unfavourable in the current era since it functions somewhat like purchasing a product.
7. Rakshasa Marriage
Rakshasa marriages involve the groom fighting and defeating the bride's family, carrying her away, and then convincing her to marry him. Because the groom uses force to tie the wedding knot, this is not seen as the morally correct way to court a girl for marriage.
8. Paishacha Marriage
The eighth and final category of Hindu marriages is the paishacha marriage. It is regarded as a lower class of marriage since the girl's preferences are disregarded, even if she is unwilling to wed the man selected for her. She is actually made to get married. Additionally, there is no financial or in-kind assistance provided to the bride's family. The girl is literally taken against her will. Men would wed women whom he had wooed while she was drunk, unconscious, or deranged. Later on, this type of marriage was outlawed.
Asura, Gandharva, Rakshasa and Paisacha are considered as the unapproved forms of marriage.
This article on Types of Hindu Marriage is contributed by Dipshikha Anand. If you like LawStudyPoint.com do follow us on our Twitter handle.