The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c10.s1.18

c10.s1.18

The school which was opposing Niyoga began to grow stronger and stronger in course of time. The ascetic tendency was getting the upper hand in society. It disliked and discouraged Niyoga. Society had developed a finer sense of the marriage ideal and conjugal fidelity ; it began to feel that the Niyoga procedure was primitive and beastly. Adoptive son, it was felt, should be preferred when a real son was out of question. Adoption may involve a legal fiction, but it did not transgress recognised canons of morality. It was also realised that the Niyoga custom was detrimental to the purity and peace in family life. A brother would cultivate the habit of looking upon his sister-in-law as a prospective wife of his own. Very often this would lead to serious complications. The earlier wife would naturally not take kindly to the 'appointed' wife; there would arise interminable disputes between the two which would ruin the peace of the family. Coparceners also did not like that additional sharers in the family property should arise in this irregular manner. In the *Dūtavākya* of Bhāsa, Duryodhana refuses to recognise Paṇḍavas as heirs because they were born of Niyoga¹. The Niyoga custom was thus felt to be more and more undesirable in course of time and the public opinion became very strong against it. It therefore went out of vogue soon after *c.* 600 A. D. It is recognised by Nārada, Yama and Parāśara, who flourished at about this time. Purāṇas, however, written soon after this period, include Niyoga among the customs prohibited for the Kali age².