History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c26.334

v2.c26.334

Some remarks must be made about the times auspicious for marriage. In the marriage hymn (Ṛgveda¹¹⁹³ X. 85. 13) the words occur 'the cows are killed on the Aghās and (the bride) is carried away (from her father's house) on the Phalgunīs'. The cow was killed in Madhuparka which was offered to the bridegroom on the day of marriage. Or this may be a reference to the giving of cows by the bridegroom to the bride's father (as in the form later called ārṣa). So it appears probable that this is a reference to marriage being performed on the day when the moon was in conjunction with the constellation of Aghās (i. e. Maghā). The two Phalgunīs follow immediately after the Maghā nakṣatra. There is an echo of this in the Āp. gṛ. III. 1–2 which says 'cows are accepted on the Maghās and (the bride) is carried (to the bridegroom's house) on the Phalgunīs'. This means that the marriage (probably in the ārṣa form) is celebrated on the Maghās and the bride goes from her father's house on the next day after marriage or after one day more. The Āśv. gṛ. (I. 4. 1) says ¹¹⁹⁴ that 'in the northward passage of the sun, in the bright half of a month and on an auspicious lunar mansion, caula, upanayana, godāna and marriage are to be performed and that according to some teachers marriage may be celebrated at all times' (not necessarily in northward passage &c). The Āp. gṛ. (2. 12–13) prescribes that all seasons except the two months of Śiśira (i. e. Māgha and Phālguna) and the last of the two months of summer (viz. Āṣāḍha) are fit for marriage and all nakṣatras which are declared to be auspicious (or holy). Āp. gṛ. further ¹¹⁹⁵ adds (3. 3) 'a father who desires that his daughter should be dear (to her husband) should give her in marriage on the Niṣṭyā (i. e. Svāti constellation); thus she becomes dear (to her husband), she does not return (to her parent's house); this is a procedure based upon the Brāhmaṇa passage.' The Brāhmaṇa passage is Tai. Br. I. 5, 2. The Baud. gṛ. (I. 1. 18–19) is the same ¹¹⁹⁶ as Āp. gr. about months and adds that the nakṣatras for marriage are Rohiṇī, Mṛgaśīrṣa, Uttarā Phālgunī, Svāti; while Punarvasu, Tiṣya (Puṣya), Hasta, Śravaṇa and Revatī are suitable for other ceremonies of an auspicious character. The Mānava gṛ. (I. 7. 5) says that the nakṣatras Rohiṇī, Mṛgaśiras, Śravaṇa, Śraviṣṭhā (Dhaniṣṭhā) and the Uttarās (i. e. Uttarāṣāḍhā, Uttarā Phalguni and Uttarā Bhādrapadā) are fit for marriage and for taking the bride from her parent's house and whatever other (nakṣatra) is declared to be auspicious. Kāṭhaka gṛ. 14. 9-10 and Vārāha gṛ. 10 are similar. The Rāmāyaṇa¹¹⁹⁷ (Bālakāṇḍa 72. 13 and 71. 24) speaks of marriage being performed on Uttarā Phalguni, of which Bhaga is the deity. The Mahābhārata also speaks of marriage on a nakṣatra presided over by Bhaga (Ādiparva 8. 16). The Kauśika sūtra (75. 2-4) makes an approach to modern practice when it prescribes that marriage should be celebrated after the full moon of Kārtika and up to the full moon of Vaiśākha or one may do as one likes but should avoid the month or half month of *Caitra*.¹¹⁹⁸