Studies in Jainism

Author(s): Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publisher: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta

Page 154

MARRIAGE IN JAINA LITERATURE
Dharma (Law) by generating righteous and chivalrous sons and daughters. It is a duty of the householder to be contented with his own wife and to contrive for the continuance of the human race.
35
145
Thus we find that though marriage is advocated in Jainism, it is no less condemned there; for, it is an outcome of the Karmas after all. Besides, in Jainism, the great aspiration of the householder is Mokṣa which cannot be gained until one observes full Brahmacarya and subdues the senses. But as this is no easy task and the worldly man cannot at once adopt the hard and rigid Brahmacarya, he is allowed to marry and to live a contented life.
N.B. In this short paper on the marriage systems of the Jainas as recorded in the literature, the author of the article has touched on several points including the customs and ceremonies as also the purpose of marriage. In spirit they have similarities with those of the marriage system of the Hindus. The inquisitive reader may feel interested in the following texts for important points :
P. V. Kane, History of Dharmasastra, Vol. II, part 1, Second Edition; Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona, 1974, pp. 426-574; Heramba Chatterjee Śastri, Studies in the Social Background of the Forms of Marriage in Ancient India, Vols. 1 and II., Calcutta, 1972; Dr. Chanchal Kumar Chatterjee, Studies in the Rites and Rituals of Hindu Marriage in Ancient India, Calcutta, 1978.
It would be of interest to note here that in the Brāhmaṇical concept, marriage is regarded as most important of the Samskaras and since the period of the Śrutis its sacredness and indispensability have been stressed to a considerable extent. The Rgueda eulogizes the utility of sons through which immortality may be secured. It would be astonishing to record here that amongst the ancient people of the civilized countries
35. Mahāpurāṇa, 15, 61-64.