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SOCIAL CONDITIONS
341
Guardian's Responsibility:-The act of marriage is often denoted by the term 'pāņiggahana' (7.75;24.33;98.56). It was a symbol of 'sva-karana'' which entailed the transfer of the authority of the parents over the girl to the husband and for that the offering of the bride to a bride groom is indicated by the word 'dinna' (15.38). Thus the responsibility of marriage lay with the guardians. King Mahendra was worried for the marriage of his daughter, Añjana (15.36). Vanara Sugriva was in anxiety for getting a suitable husband for his daughter Padmaraga (19 37; See also 51.18; 36.11). In these cases the initiative is taken by the fathers of the girls and they get success in negotiations. Sometimes the father of a boy took initiative. Vidyadhara Puspottara had demanded the sister of Vanara Śrīkantha for his son (6.6). In the absence of the father, the elder brother was responsible for the marriage of his younger ones (6.6; 9.28, 50). In the case of Lavana and Ankusa the two sons of Sita, their guardian king Vajrajangha arranged their marriage (98.1). In the absence of any guardian the suitor himself made demand for a bride from her guardian (10.4-8). Thus the PCV reveals that generally the guardians settled the marriage of their sons and daughters. In the case of contest type of 'svayamvara' marriage the father of the bride proposed a feat and in the selection type too it must have depended upon the father of the bride to invite or not a to invite a particular candidate. Further the accompanying of the parents with the promising condidates in a 'svayamvara' indicates that the consent or the wishes of the parents prevailed in the 'svayamvara' marriage also. Kaikeyi's initiative and then Dasaratha's consent to the marriage of their son, Bharata with Subhadra the daughter of Kanaka, the brother of Janaka of Mithila (28.131) indicates that generally the father and the mother both were unitedly responsible for the marriage of their children. One thing is to be noted that though the marriage of the children dependend on the wishes of their parents but in no case the marriage was a failure.
Wishes of the Children :-It is true that the parents settled the marriage of their children but the wishes of the latter ware not altogether neglected. King Mahidhara betrothed his daughter to some other person when he lost all hopes of getting Lakṣmaṇa who was greatly cherished by his daughter. But when Lakṣmaṇa went there per chance Mahidhara gladly gave his consent to his daughter to marry him (36.9-40). Vidyadhara Candragati tried his best to accomplish the wish of his adopted son Bhamandala who wanted to marry Sita (28.9-75),
1. 'Pradanam svämya karaṇam'-Manu, 5.152.
