Sambodhi 1989 Vol 16

Author(s): Ramesh S Betai, Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 30

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rearing and home-making and wishes to devote herself to some other “higher activity. 21
A faithful monogamous marriage is the ideal to be ained at, though its realization is difficult..Marriage is an art which involves both pain and joy. The difficulties of life do not end, but begin with marriage. Uma won Shiva not through her personal beauty but through austerity and suffering. Kalidas in his 'Abhijnana Shakuntalam' shows how two loving souls are worked through suffering into shape and moulded into fitness for cach other.' It is the element of suffering undergone by partners in marriage either before it or after which makes marriage and life more mcaningful as well as worthy. In great plays of the masters, the object of love is heightened by austerity which brightens the value of love and consequent union. The sublimity of love is achieved by making the lovers aware of the contingencies and mercurial nature of life. If the partners in marriage think that life is a bed of roses throughout, then it will make them soft, weak in face of ordeals and dangers of life. It requires a hard metal, courage and psychic temper to resist and react to the wild frenzies of life and circumstances.
The ceremony of marriage should be educative and indicating a guideline of the significance of marriage. So Hindu seers have shown legitimate forms of marriage as against improper forms of it. Since ancient times there have been at least eight forms of marriage prevalent in Hindi fold. Many of these cannot be traced to the period of Rigveda. Hinduism has the tendency to presserve old beliefs and customs without deleting them when they are outworn. Four forms are approved while the other four are disapproved."22 Paishacha, Rakshasa, Asura, Gandharva, Arsha, Daiva, Prajapatya and Brahma are the forms of disapproved and approved marriage in Hindu society. The Paishacha form of marriage is that in which the bride is overpowered by the husband. It is of a very low type. The bride is deceived or loses control over herself by taking drugs or drink and in such a frame of mind she yields to the husband. Rakshasa form of marriage refers to a period when women were regarded as prizes of war. In certain cases conflict and clash regarding women occur. Rukmini, Shubhadra and Vasavadatta lielped their husbands, Krislina, Arjuna and Udayana respectively. In the Asura form of marriage the husband buys the bride for a price. 'It is marriage by purchase.' 'This form was in practise but was not approved. These three forms of marriage are disapproved.
The Gandharya form of marriage is based on mutual approval and Choice. 'Kama Sutra regards this type of marriage as ideal.'23 The most