Social Life in Ancient India: Studies in Vatsyayana's Kamasutra c8.152

c8.152

Summing up the views of Vātsyāyana, it appears that he sanctions a great deal of freedom from ordinary rules and conventions with regard to marriage. We have seen that in the matter of the selection of a bride, he is ready to cast off to the wind all the innumerable checks and tests that hamper the free exercise of choice, non-essential, technical imperfections being never allowed to stand in the way when there is a union of hearts, not even when the consent of the parents is not available on either side. According to him, therefore, the Gāndharva form of marriage is the most respected (*pūjita*), because, he declares, love is the fruit of all the forms of marriage that can be conceived of, and love is more in evidence here than in any other forms where considerations of birth, money or other qualities are the deciding factors. It brings forth happiness, is not accompanied by all the troubles of a lengthy negotiation and ceremonial, and what is more important, is the result of mutual love¹.