Part 2.4 - Various Customs and Rituals of Marriage

In Hindu marriage, various customs had been followed and rituals had been performed since the ancient time by the people of Indian society. In the Mālatīmādhava also Bhavabhūti has given a detailed account of the social customs pertaining to marriage ritual during his time. There was a dangerous custom in Bhavabhūti’s time. In those days parents used to give the marriage proposal before the birth of their child. They took oath to join their children in wedlock. In the 1^stact it is found that Bhūrivasu and Devarāta were two best friends when they were students and they made solemn declaration in the presence of Saudāminī to join their offsprings in wedlock.^[1] In the 10^th act Saudāminī discloses it that the cherished object of the ministers, Bhūrivasu and Devarāta, regarding the alliance of their children, has been accomplished in the long run.^[2]

In the 6^th act, it is observed that on the day of Mālatī’s marriage ceremony everyone made haste for the welcome of bridegroom’s party where hundreds of door-keepers were found busy with preparations for the marriage. ^[3] Again, it is known from the speech of Makaranda that the sound of thousands of deep auspicious drums had been arisen during the time of Mālatī’s marriage.The sound of thousands of deep-sounding auspicious drums resembled the peal of a train of clouds scattered by the wind and deprived Makaranda and Mādhava the power of hearing any other sound.^[4] This speech clearly shows that various types of musical instruments were used during the marriage in Bhavabhūti’s time. There is another custom where it is found that the bride should be decorated before the deity. Mālatī’s bridal dress was presented by the king through a door–keeper with the saying that Mālatī should be decorated before the deity.^[5] The bridal dress included a bodice of white silk and red silk garment to serve the purpose of the mantle and sets of ornaments suitable for all parts of the body and necklace of pearls, sandal paste and a garland of white flowers.^[6] Hence, it proves that during Bhavabhūti’s time also the custom of giving the bridal dress from the side of bridegroom was in vogue. The Atharvaveda refers to giving away of the garment to the bride. ^[7] This Veda also refers to wearing a new garment by bride.^[8]

It has been also found that on the way of Mālatī’s going to temple the female elephants appeared clanking with the sound of the collections of golden bells. These were tinkling and mounted by bevies of courtesans that were giving rise to a confused noise by singing aloud the sweet auspicious songs. The songs were uttered indistinctly in consequence of the expanse of the orbs of their cheeks being filled with rolls of betel-leaves chewed sportively. They decorated the surface of the sky with the beaming rays of various jewel ornaments resembling the fragments of Indra’s bow^[9]. This description apparently shows that women took part actively in the occasion of marriage ceremony and they enjoyed the marriage festival happily.

Like the customs, various rituals were also found in the marriage ceremony during the time of Bhavabhūti. In the 6^th act it is found that Brāhmaṇas had recited sacred mantras for auspicious purpose of Mālatī’s marriage ceremony followed by various songs.^[10] Again, Mālatī was ordered by her mother to go to the temple of deity in order to ward off the obstacles from the auspicious marriage ceremony and to attain good fortune.^[11] It was customary also among the people during 8^th century A.D. for the intended bride to pay her adoration to some divinity before her marriage. In the Atharvaveda also worship of different gods on the eve of the marriage is found. ^[12]

Another ritual mentioned by Bhavabhūti in the Mālatīmādhava is the entrance of bride’s new home after the completion of actual marriage ceremony. In the 7^th act it was found that the servants were busy in taking part in the great untimely Kaumudī festival staged for the new bride at the mansion of Nandana.^[13] This ritual apparently indicates the rite of gṛhapraveśa performed by the people of 8^th century A.D.

Thus, Bhavabhūti has depicted the various customary practices in respect of marriage observed by people during the period of 8^th century A.D. It has appeared that society strictly followed the rules of marriage that ordained in the smṛtis and gṛhyasūtras.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

tadeva cāsmatsaudāminīsamakṣamanayorbhūrivasudevarātayorvṛtteyaṃ pratijñāavaśyamāvābhyāmapatyasambandhaḥ kartavya iti /
Ibid.,I.p.14

[2]:

idamatra ramaṇīataraṃ yadamātyorbhūrivasudevarātayościrātpūr
ṇo‟ayamitaretarāpatyasaṃvandhātmā manorathaḥ //
Ibid.,X.p.216

[3]:

pratyāsannastvarayatitarāṃjanyayātrāpraveśaḥ Ibid.,VI.2 mālatīvivāhaparikarmasatvarapratīhāraśataśaṃkulāpradeśādapakramya mādhavāpakāraṃ pratyabhiniviṣṭā bhavāmi /
Ibid.,VI.p.120

[4]:

asmākamekapada eva marudvikīrṇa /
jīmūtajālarasitānukṛtirninādaḥ //
gambhīramaṅgalamṛdaṅgasahasrajanmā /
śabdāntaragrahaṇaśaktimapākaroti //
Ibid.,VI. 4

[5]:

pratihārī -bhagavatī amātyo bhaṇati etena narendrānupreṣitena vivāha nepathyena devatā puratoalaṃkartavyā mālatīti /
Ibid.,VI.p.125

[6]:

etattāvatdhavalapaṭṭāṃśuka colakametaccottarīyaṃ raktavarṇāṃśukam /
ime sarvāṅgikā ābharaṇ saṃyogāḥ /
Ibid.

[7]:

Atharvaveda, XIV.II.41 -42, 48-49

[8]:

Ibid., XIV.,II.51

[9]:

imāḥsavilāsakavalitatāmbulavīṭikāpūritakapolamaṇḍalābhogavyatikaraskhalitama dhuramaṅgalodgītavadhakolāhalairvividharatnālaṃkārakiraṇāvalīviḍamvbita mahendracāpavichedavichuritanabhaḥsthalairvārasundarīkadambairadhyāsitā utkvaṇatkanakakiṃkiṇījālajanjaṃkāriṇyakariṇyaḥ //
Mālatīmādhava,VI.p.122

[10]:

kartavyeṣu śravaṇasubhagaṃ bhūmidevāḥ paṭhantu /
citraṃ nāāvacananivahaiśceṣṭayatāṃ maṅgaleb hyaḥ //
Ibid., VI.2

[11]:

sakhi asminpāṇigrahaṇamaṅgalārambhe kalyāṇasaṃpattinimittaṃ devatāḥ pūjayetyamb ayānupreṣitāsi //
Ibid.,VI.p.127

[12]:

Atharvaveda,XIV.I.50-54

[13]:

ayaṃ ca navavadhūgṛhapraveśaviracitākālakaumudīmahotsavapra vṛttiparyākulā śeṣaparijanaḥ pradoṣoanukulayiṣyatyadya no vyavasitam /
Mālatīmādhava, VII.p.130