The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c8.69

c8.69

It is true that monogamy normally prevailed in Hindu society. The word *dampatī* ‘two joint owners of the household’ excludes a third person from the conjugal life. The ritual too does not provide for the association of more than one wife in the normal sacritice. The Vedic gods also are monogamous. In practice, however, polygamy often prevailed in the rich and ruling sections of society. It was fairly common among kings and nobles, who often found it a useful instrument in strengthening their political power by contracting numerous but judicious matrimonial alliances. The rich probably regarded plurality of wives as a proof of their wealth, reputation and social position. Polygamy of course was a luxury beyond the means of the poor. A rich man can support several wives; a poor man finds it difficult to maintain even one¹. References to polygamy are fairly numerous in the Vedic literature. The Rigveda in one place compares a person attacked on all sides by his enemies to a husband troubled by his jealous wives². The Atharvaveda has numerous charms to enable a co-wife to monopolise the love of the common husband (E. g., III, 18). The coronation ritual presupposes four wives for the king, and in practice he may have had more. Father Manu is said to have had 10 wives, and king Hariśchandra had only a hundred. Even philosopher Yājñavalkya had two. There are some observations in the late Vedic literature to show that polygamy was well established in certain sections of society³.