History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c26.2

v2.c26.2

This is the most important of all saṃskāras. Throughout the ages for which literary tradition is available in India marriage has been highly thought of. The several words that are employed to denote the idea of marriage indicate one or more of the elements of the saṃskāra of marriage. Such words are *udvāha* (taking the girl out of her parental home), *vivāha* (taking the girl away in a special way or for a special purpose i. e. for making her one's wife), *pariṇaya* or *pariṇayana* (going round i. e. making a pradakṣiṇā to fire), *upayama* (to bring near and make one's own), and *pāṇigrahaṇa* (taking the hand of the girl). Though these words express only one component element of the rite of marriage they are all used in the śāstras¹⁰¹² to indicate the totality of the several acts that go to make up the ceremony of marriage. The word '*vivāha*' occurs in the Tai. S. VII. 2. 87 and Ait. Br. (27. 5). In the Tāṇḍya¹⁰¹³ Mahābrāhmaṇa VII. 10. 1 it is said that "heaven and earth were once together but they became separate'; then they said 'let us bring about a marriage, let there be a co-operation between us'."