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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c12.s10.t8: Other Kinds of Marriage

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c12.s10.t8

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Other Kinds of Marriage

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Contrary to limitations on marriage imposed by Brāhmanic injunctions, we come across the examples of unorthodox marriages in Jain canonical literature. Such marriages, however, are not supported by other sources except the marriage with maternal uncle.

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Marriage with step-mother was prevalent in countries like Golla where the Brāhmaṇas (*vippa*) were allowed to marry their step-mother (*māisavittī*).⁴⁵

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⁴⁵ *Ava. cū.* II, p. 81; also cf. *Nisi cū.* II, p. 745; *Ava. Ti.* (Hari.) p. 580a; also see *Kathāsaritsāgara*, Vol. VII, p. 116 ff.

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According to Jain mythology, sister marriage was prevalent at the time of Usabha, who married his own sister. The Āvaśyaka cūrṇi refers to another case of sister marriage when king Pupphaketu allowed his son to marry his own sister.⁴⁶ This kind of marriage was also prevalent in the country of Golla.⁴⁷

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⁴⁶ II, p. 178.

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⁴⁷ ibid p 81 The com on the Suttanipāta (1, p. 357) refers to the Śakyans who were rebuked by the Koliyans for cohabiting like dogs, jackals and such like beasts with their own sisters, also Kunāla Jātaka (No. 536) V, p. 412 , also Digha I, p. 92 , also see I H Q., 1926, p 563 ff

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The marriage of cousins also was in vogue in the primitive society. The cousin marriage, with the daughter of maternal uncle (māuladuhiyā) was allowed in the countries of Lāṭa and Dakṣināpatha,⁴⁸ and was prohibited in Uttarāpatha.⁴⁹ We are told that Bambhadatta married his maternal uncle’s daughter.⁵⁰ The cousin marriage, i.e the marriage with sister’s daughter (māusaduhiyā) was also prevalent, but it was not allowed in Lāṭa.⁵¹ The other form of cousin marriage prevalent was marriage with the daughter of father’s sister.⁵²

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⁴⁸ Baudhāyana refers to this kind of marriage. Kumārila Bhaṭṭa casts a fling at the Dākṣinātya, who is overjoyed to get the daughter of his maternal uncle (Chakladar, op cit., p 133), also see Census India, 1931, Vol I, Pt. I, p 458

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⁴⁹ Āva cū II, p 81.

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⁵⁰ Uttarā. Ṭī., p 189a

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⁵¹ Āva. cū., op. cit.

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⁵² ibid., II, p. 160

Cites (5)