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Marriage and Position of Women
and succession, the whole society is intimately concerned with all aspects of marriage. The societal interest is not over by prescribing rules regarding the choice of partners but it regulates the manner in which a bride is secured, the union is settled and the marriage ceremony is performed.
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The ways of procuring a bride are generally divided into four categories, viz., marriage by capture, purchase, service and consent. - 103 A high value was attached to woman in the primitive times by reason of the fact that she served as a working force and a child-producer. Naturally, she became one of the chief forms of booty sought in predatory raids. This forcible seizure of woman is known as marriage by capture.104 It was the most prevalent method in ancient times and the Jainas could not be an exception to this. Among the Jainas the Rakshasa form of marriage was practised in which a weeping and crying girl is forcibly abducted possibly after a fight with her near relatives and this is nothing but marriage by capture. We have already noted that even though the Rakshasa form of marriage is practised by both Jainas and Hindus, the former, unlike the latter, do not approve it as a right type of marriage to be practised by the people.105 Marriage by exchange and purchase are better adjustments than marriage by capture. Marriages are arranged in exchange for giving one's own sister in marriage. We read about the marriage of Devadatta, who married the sister of Dhanadatta and in exchange gave his sister in marriage to him.106 Marriage by exchange is still practised on a very small scale in the Jaina community and it is not favoured as it goes against the interests of the girl.107 In marriage by purchase a wife is obtained for money paid to her father's family by the husband or his father. There are several instances which sufficiently testify to the prevalence of the practice of giving daughter in marriage in exchange of money. 108 Among the eight forms of marriage mentioned above there is an Asura form of marriage in which a bride is obtained by paying for her an adequate sum of money to her relatives. The Jaina Lawgivers do not approve this method as a right form of marriage to be practised by the people.10 At present marriage by purchase is resorted to by low class Jainas and in cases where it is difficult to secure a bride by ordinary methods. Along with the brideprice there is the custom of dowry in which something is given to
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