Social Life in Ancient India: Studies in Vatsyayana's Kamasutra c8.129

c8.129

Vātsyāyana next proceeds to describe the forms of marriage that would cement the union brought about by courtship between the parties themselves, without the permission of the parents or relatives, and the details furnished by Vātsyāyana are interesting as illustrating the definitions given in the *Grhyasūtras* and the *Dharmasūtras*. After perfect unity of sentiment is established between the parties and all the scruples of the maiden overruled by persuasions, the time and place of meeting should be arranged with the help of friends. When the girl has been brought to a secret place, sacred fire should be brought from the house of a *Śrotriya* Brahmin who maintains a perpetual fire for the performance of his daily sacrificial rites, *kuśa* grass should be spread before it upon the earth, oblations offered in the fire in accordance with the prescriptions of the sacred law (*smṛti*), and then they should thrice go round the fire, and after this is completed, the parents of the girl should be informed¹; "A marriage performed before fire as witness to the transaction, can never be set aside, this is the rule approved by all teachers" (*ācārya-samaya*), says Vātsyāyana². By and by the relatives on both sides should be informed and be persuaded to confirm the marriage by bestowing the girl upon her lover in the formal way, by representing to them that otherwise the king might punish the bridegroom's side for the violence, and on the other side, the fair name of the girl's family may be tarnished, and then both sides may be reconciled by an exchange of presents. This is the Gāndharva form of marriage³.