History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c26.202

v2.c26.202

As to the grounds on which marriages between near sapiṇḍas were prohibited various theories have been advanced by anthropologists. Vide Westermarck in his 'History of Human marriage' (ed. of 1921, vol. II. pp. 71-81) and Rivers on 'Marriage of cousins in India' in J. R. A. S. for 1907 pp. 611-640. Some think that the prohibition was due to the abhorrence which men in the primitive times felt for incest. To me it appears more probable that in India at least the prohibition was due to two causes; firstly, the observed fact that, if near relatives marry, their defects are transmitted with aggravation to their offspring and secondly the fear that, if marriages between near relatives by blood were allowed, there may be clandestine love affairs and consequent loss of morals and it would be difficult to secure husbands for girls who would be living under the same roof with several near or distant cousins.