[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930) › v2.c28.11.3 # History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c28.11.3 History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c28.11.3 - **Language:** English ### [v2.c28.11.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v2.c28.11.3) The reasons for this treatment of women were many, such as the great spiritual importance of sons, early marriages and consequent illiteracy of women, the spread of the idea of the ceremonial impurity of women and their being equated with śūdras and lastly the idea of the complete dependence of women on men. One must not be carried away, however, by the notion that marrying many wives was either very common or was not looked down upon. Steele (in 'Law and Custom of Hindoo Castes,' first published in 1826) who had the most unique opportunities for observing the practices of numerous castes in the Dekhan in the first decades of the 19th century writes (p. 168, ed. of 1868) 'a man may marry as many wives as his inclination or circumstances allow. Marriages in succession, in consequence of the death of a former wife, are very common; but polygamy is not usual except on account of the barrenness of the first wife. It is practised in the Koonbee castes'. Vide also Imperial Gazetteer of India, vol. I (ed. of 1907) p. 482 'Although in theory polygamy is allowed, in practice a second wife is rarely taken while the first is alive and in India as a whole there are only 1011 wives to every 1000 husbands so that even if no husbands have more than two wives all but 11 per thousand must be monogamous'. The state of the modern case law is unsatisfactory. - [Previous: v2.c28.11.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v2.c28.11.2) - [Next: v2.c28.11.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v2.c28.11.4) - [Up: v2.c28.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v2.c28.11) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v2.c28.11.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.kane-1930.v2.c28.11.3) · Pramāṇa