War in Ancient India c4.s6.t3.19

c4.s6.t3.19

Another occasion for the display of heroism and the spirit of adventure by the early Kṣatriya knights was afforded by the capture of maidens belonging to the neighbouring kings and countries. Shall we attribute this tendency to the psychological instinct of sexual passion? It is well-known that this primitive practice of running away with girls was once universal and not peculiar to ancient India alone. Indian conditions will be clear if we are sufficiently acquainted with the modes of marriage prevalent among the warrior caste. The most advertised form of royal marriage was svayamvara, which gave the maid the right of choosing her own husband, from among the princes assembled for the purpose.²⁴ Surely we can trace in this form of marriage survivals of the earlier and much simpler form which consisted of knights meeting girls openly or secretly and carrying them away with or without the knowledge of their relatives. In some cases the relatives of the girls acquiesced either because they themselves liked the match or felt too weak to offer a challenge to the captor. The latter was more probable. But a majority of such cases, as can be gathered from the fulness of descriptive details in the Epics and the Purāṇas, involved an outbreak of hostilities.