Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 61
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ Avqust, 1932
Thus, looking at the history of the evolution of culture, we see that the present monogamic family is simply a modified form of what it used to be in former times. Of the first or incestuous form, certain ancient Hindu texts may be construed as bearing evidence. In a fragmentary song of the Rg-Veda' we are told that Yamî appears in support of marriage of brothers and sisters, while Yama, her husband, opposes it. But how far this evidence may be taken as conclusive is open to serious question, and different scholars have given diametrically opposite interpretations. Weber thinks that it undoubtedly points to a practice which was universal in former times and later became antiquated, whereas Macdonell and Keith criticize Weber and are equally dogmatic in their denial. They say that "the dialogue of Yama and Yami seems clearly to point to a prohibition of marriage of brother and sister."
Of the second form, or group marriage, no instance is known in the Hindu books, unless we take polyandry? or levirate and sororate as relics of group marriage. Polyandry was undoubtedly known among the ancient Hindus, and there is the classical and oft-quoted example of Draupadi, who was married to the five Påndava brothers. Speaking of Draupadi's case, J. D. Mayne sayg10 that the most excellent precedents cited by the Pandava brothers of the "most moral woman," Jatila Gautami, who dwelt with seven saints, and of Vårkshi, who dwelt with ten brothers," whose souls have been purified with penance," were bad ones, being cases of saints who were above moral laws, and he adds that in the Ramayana polyandry is mentioned with abhorrence. He sums up in favour of the view that sexual looseness rather than recognized polyandry is indicated. 11 It has also been argued that the Pandava brothers were Ksatriyas, and as such they were allowed greater license with regard to women and were even allowed to contract the lowest form of marriages.12 Other traces of polyandry are not wanting among the ancient Hindus. One of the law-books says: "A bride is given to the family of her husband and not to the husband alone,"13 but the same book admits that such practices are forbidden now. Down to our own times there are traces of polyandry in the comparative freedom allowed to younger brothers towards their elder brothers' wives ; the relationship between them is that which has been termed "joking relationship" by modern anthropologists. 14
The Hindus themselves recognized eight forms of marriages, some of which are still to be met with in different parts of India. The first, most honourable, and at the same time the most important form of marriage is known as the Brühma marriage, in which the father gives the daughter in marriage to a bridegroom of good character and learned in the Vedas, the ceremony itself being performed by a Brahmana priest. The second form Daiva is
6 x, 10. Compare L. von Schroeder, Mysterium und Mimus in Rigveda (Leipsic, 1908], 275 ff. 6 Vedic Index of Names and Subjects [London, 1912), i, 475.
1 According to J. F. McLennan (Studies in Ancient History, 2nd series (London and New York, 1886), 86-107), a tendency to promiscuity was the original sexual relationship, and the first general modification of promiscuity was polyandry.
& Sir James G. Frazer (Folklore in the Old Testament, ii, 317; cf. id., Totemiam and Erogamy, ii, 144) says that "the sororate and the lovirate are offshoots from one common root, a system of group marriage in which all the husbands were brothers and all the wives were sisters to each other, though not to their husbands; and that system in its turn originated in a simple desire to get wives as easily and cheaply Be possible." Prof. E. Westermarck however is opposed to this theory (The History of Human Marriage, iii, 208, 262, 263 f., and Chapter XXIX-XXXI).
9 Winternitz, "Notes on the Mahabharata, etc.," JRAS., 1897, p. 735 ff. 10 A Treatise or Hindu Law and Usage, 64 f. 11 Ibid., p. 65. 12 Laws of Manu, iii, 26. 13 A pastamba, ii, 10, 27, 3 f. (Tr. by G. Bühler (S.B.E.), Oxford, 1897).
14 In 1926 I suggosted the possibility of this being a survival of polyandry among the Hindus (L'Ethno. logie du Bengale, 86 (published Paris, 1927]). In an article published in 1929 (Atu IK. Sur, "Some Bengali Kinship Usagen," Mon in India, ix (1929), pp. 72-79) there is a suggestion that the younger brother-inlaw liconice" and the "wife's younger sister licence" are remnants of levirate and sororate respectively.
