Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana

by Chaitali Kadia | 2021 | 91,183 words

This page relates ‘Prostitution in the Matsya Purana’ of the study on the historical elements of the Matsya-purana: one of the eighteen Mahapuranas which are Sanskrit texts that have preserved the cultural heritage, philosophy, religion, geography, etc of ancient India. This Matsyapurana was originally written in 20,000 verses and deals with topics such as architecture, ancient history, polity, religion and philosophy.

Prostitution in the Matsya Purāṇa

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Another important issue associated with family and society is marriage. Men and women do not get the status of husband and wife in the society until they get married. Again, husband and wife are a special part of the family. In other words, marriage is the basis of many family relationships. By which not only husband wife but also father-mother relationship is formed. Marriage is the sacred ceremony. Marriage is a social bond or legal contract through which a marital relationship is established between two people. Although marriage varies according to culture in different countries, marriage is generally a ceremony through which intimacy and sexual relations between two people gain social recognition. In some cultures, it is recommended to get married before engaging in any form of sexual activity. In other words, marriage is a global universal culture. Marriage can be recognized primarily by any state, local authority, indigenous group, local community, or group of individuals. Marriage creates opportunities for procreationand inheritance. Different religious have different marriages customs. Nowadays marriage is not only a religious ceremony but also a legal practice.

In the ancient Vedic age there were several types of marriage. Such as polygamy, child marriage, widow marriage etc. Surprisingly, despite the fact that these marriages are legally punishable without widow marriage, in some parts of India, these marriages are considered as a culture. The subject of marriage is described in almost all texts. In the Mahābhārata period, this marriage was not only the beginning of the conjugal life but also had more political significance than that. Again, the princess of a weak kingdom was often given in marriage to the king or prince of a strong kingdom without direct submission to the shadow of a strong kingdom so that the strong kingdom could not invade that weak kingdom. Sometimes the daughter of the king of the defeated kingdom was given in marriage to the king of the kingdom that had won the war. Thus marriage became a political factor. Because marriage was the cause of politics, kings were forced to marry many. But the reason for polygamy was not just politics. Sometimes a king had many marriages to protect his dynasty. These things used to happen in ancient times. Polygamy is now completely illegal. However, a male widow or a female widow can remarry.

In ancient times, polygamy as well as child marriage was a common occurrence. Not only in ancient times but also in British ruled India child marriage was a common occurrence. Sometimes the parents of the poor house were responsible for that. Sometimes for hungers, to reduce the tax burden, sometimes for the darkness of illiteracy, the poor parents were forced to hand over their little girl to the kings or Zamindars. By the time the little girl was old enough to play, she had to live in the inner courtyard as the wife of a man who was many times older than her. Later during the Indian independence struggle, Rājā Rāmmohana Roy, put an end to this practice with the help of Lord William Bentinck.

Polygamy:

There is a lot of information about marriage in the Matsya Purāṇa . Examples of polygamy in the Matsya Purāṇa are as follows–Śakrajita had ten wives who were all the daughters of Kaikeya king.^[1] Pracetasa Dakṣa, Prajāpati and Vairaṇī had sixty daughters, among them ten daughters were given to Dharma, thirteen to Kaśyapa, twenty-seven to Soma, two to Bhṛguputra, two to Kṛśāsva and two to Angirā.^[2] These was an example of a Sororal polygamy, which meant marriage to multiple sisters. Bhajamān had two wives–Sṛnjayī and Vāhyakā, who were daughters of king Sṛnjaya.^[3] Yaśodevī and Satyā, these two daughters of Śaiva were the wives of Bṛhanmānasa.^[4] Some believed that king married sisters at the same times so that there would be no quarrels between the two wives and that there would be peace in the family. There are also many more wedding patterns. For example, Ajamidha had four wives–Nīlinī, Dhūminī, Keśinī and Bhūmīnī.^[5] Akrura had three wives–Ratnā, Ugrasenā and Aśvinī.^[6] Kṛṣṇa had sixteen thousand wives of which a few are mentioned. They are–Rukmīnī, Satyabhmā, Satyā, Nāgnājiti, Subhāmā, Śaivā, Gāndhāri, Lakṣaṇā, Mitravindā, Kālindī, Jāmbuvatī, Suśilā, Mādrī, Kauśalyā and Vijayā.^[7] Usinārā had five wives–Bhṛsa, Kṛsa, Navā, Darśā and Dṛsadvatī^[8] Vāsudeva had eleven wives–Pauravi, Rohinī^[9], Devakī^[10], Tāmra^[11], Devarakṣitā^[12], Upadevī^[13], Vṛkadevī^[14], Sraddhādevī^[15], Sutanu, and Ratharāji^[16], Vaiśya^[17]. Vivasvata had three wives–Sañjā, Rajani and Prabhā^[18]. Antanārā’s two wive were Manasvinī and Ilanā^[19]. Pāṇḍu had two wive named Kunti and Mādri^[20]. Prabhā and Bhānumati were the wive of Sagara^[21].Śāntanu had two wive Jāhnavi (Ganga) and Kali (Satyavati)^[22]. Vrsni had two wive named Gāndhāri and Mādri^[23]. Yayati had two wive–Devayāni and Sarmisthā.^[24]

However, in the Purāṇaas there are also signs of being happy with only one wife. Such as Siva and Pārvati, Sāvitri and Satyavān, Jyāmagha and his wife Chaitrā.

Polyandry:

Just as men had polygamy women had to have multiple marriages in certain circumstances. That is, a wife had more than one husband. Patterns of these are also found somewhere in the Matsya Purāṇa . The most vivid and clear example of this marriage is the marriage of Pañca Pāṇḍava with Draupadī. According to the Matsya Purāṇaa , five sons were born to Draupadī from the five Pāṇḍavas .^[25] Prativindhya was the son of Draupadī and Yudhisthira. Śrutasena was the son of Draupadī and Bhimasena. Śrutakirti was the son of Draupadī and Arjuna. Similarly, Śrutakarmā and Śatānika were the son of Sahadeva and Nakula respectively. These five sons were called Droupadeya after their mother. Note that this Pañcapāṇḍva had many more wives and children from them. Those children were called Pāṇḍeya after their father’s name.^[26] Another example is the marriage of Soma’s daughter Marisā with ten Pracetas.^[27] These two examples are fraternal polyandry which means the marriage of more than one brother to the same daughter.

Inter-cast-marriage:

Marriage in the inter-cast is a hot topic nowadays. In the past, marriage was practiced in the same race. But in some cases inter cast marriages could be seen. Yet many families prefer marriage in the same race. However, there are patterns of marriage in many inter cast even in the ancient times. In the Matsya Purāṇa , this marriage is shown in two types, namely Anuloma and Pratiloma. There are examples of this marriage in the MatsyaPurāṇa in the 46th chapter, where Vāsudeva married twoVaisya daughters.^[28] Sāntanu himself, though of Ksatriya descent, married the daughter of a fisherman named Kāli (Satyavati)^[29]. These two examples were Anuloma marriages. There are examples of Pratiloma marriages in the context of Yayāti and Devayāni marriage.^[30] Also in the 33rd chapter there is a reference to Pratiloma marriage when Yayāti curses Turvasu.^[31] The Matsya Purāṇa supports Anuloma marriage and says that if a woman falls in love with a person of a better race or qualification than her, then the girl should be handed over to that man.^[32] On the other hand, it is said in the Matsya Purāṇa that if a disgusting man of a lower caste fall in love with a girl of a higher caste or in the same way a woman of a higher caste falls in love with a man of a lower caste, they should be put to death.^[33] At present international marriages are seen where one foreign nation is married to another from another country. An example of this in the Matsya Purāṇa is the marriage of Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā with Yayāti, where two demon daughters are married to one Aryan.

Apart from these, eight types of marriage have been mentioned in Gṛhyasūtra, Dharmasūtra and Smṛti (P.V. Kane HDS Vol.-II P516).

I. Brahma : The daughter is considered the highest here. The bride has to look her best during this time, because of posterity more than anything else. This marriage is of equal Varṇa. The father of the daughter can verify the son.

II. Daiva : The bride was given in marriage as a gift of a large sacrifices. Mainly daughters who were not getting married were given in marriage to any deity or Brahmin.

III. Ārṣa : The father of the daughter was obliged to give the daughter in this marriage. Some were expecting this wedding by donating cows. Daughters of sage Agastya and Lopāmudrā.

IV. Prajāpatya : This marriage rule is practiced by Brahmā. So in every deed Brahmā is remembered. The bride and groom vow to keep each other well. At present it is the customary marriage rule. This is the most common marriage rule. The marriage of a worthy bride and groom is performed by Yajña without any transaction.

V. Gāndharva : In this, the bride and groom get married only by exchanging wishes. For example -the marriage of Duṣyanta and Śakuntalā.

VI. Asura : This is the rule of a rich man to marry a poor woman. This would have given a lot of wealth to the daughter’s father. Especially in the case of the groom, he was somehow interior in qualifying to be a wife.

VII. Rākṣasa : In this marriage the bride goes against her family and picks up the bride’s coveted groom and marries him. For example–the marriage of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Rukmīnī.

VIII. Pisāca : If a man rapes a sleeping, mentally distressed or intoxicated woman in any way, no one in the society accepts her. Then the rapist was married to the woman. This marriage ritual is Piśāca or Paiśācika marriage.

The Matsya Purāṇa also describes some of the rituals of marriage. The Matsya Purāṇa describes the qualifications of the brides and grooms for marriage. Chapter 154 of the Purāṇas states that if a man is associated with good family, birth, condition, face, wealth and property, he should be invited to the house and given a daughter.^[34] The male, form was the cause of marriage or love. Urvaśī, fascinated by Pururavā’s face and so that she became his wife.^[35] The king fines a man one hundred coins for an innocent girl who is considered by the man guilty but he cannot prove it. The man who shows another bride and then marries another bride to groom should also be given a good punishment. The groom who takes the bride’s hand while hiding his guilt is like the bride unmarried even after the marriage. The king fined the man two hundred coins. Whoever gives one daughter to another the king should give him a fair punishment.^[36]