________________
Social thought of Yājnavalkya-(1)
141
"In the normal course) and in due order brahmins, ksatriyas and Vaisyas can have three, two and one wives. The Sūdia can marry oce only of his own Varņa."
Herc, Aouloma marriages are approved as equal by Yājnavalkya within the limits of the twice born Varnas and not the Pratiloma marri. ages. At first sight we might feel that to bim Pratiloma marriages even within these limits are full of blemish, but as we will see later, actually this is not so. He is specific again about the first four forms of marriage being free from blemish, (1.38 to 60), not so the last 4 (1.61). Thus, the form of marriage together with Jāti is very important in fixing up the social status of the offspring. With these and a few other refer. coces, we can conclude that according to Yajnavalkya, the social status of Varna and Jāti is governed by these principles :
(1) Offspring of the Savarņa Vivāha of the first three Varnas in the
first four forms of marriage, the best.
(2) Offspring of the Anuloma and Samāns Jātiya marriages within.
these limits as above, comes next.
(3) Offspring of the Pratiloma marriages within the dvija limits,
comes next.
(4) Offspring of Savarna and Sajāti marriages in Sūdras comes next.
(5) Offspring of Śūdra, with men of Dvija Varņas and Jātis, i. e.
Anuloma marriages.
(6) Offspring of Sūdra, with woman of dvija Varnas and Jātis, i. e.
Pratiloma marriages.
lo 1.56 Yajpavalkya is very specific in his stateinant that marriage of a dvija with a Sūdra woman is not to his liking, i. e., in his opinion it is illegal. He has yet adjusted the offspring of these marriages within the Varna and caste system, and he fixes up the social status of the offspring. This shows that slowly but steadily the concept of Savarṇatva is disappeariog from the scciety and its place is taken over by ideas of Dvijāti, Ekajāti and the Jätis born of these. The high and low status of Jatis is thus getting fixed. In this complex system the Varna or Jāti, joining in marriage, the form of marriage, the special rights of Saṁslāras are at work. With greater and greater mixture of Jāti in marriage, nem
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
