The Markandeya Purana (Study)
by Chandamita Bhattacharya | 2021 | 67,501 words
This page relates ‘Intercaste Marriage’ of the study on the Markandeya Purana, one of the oldest of the eigtheen Mahapuranas preserving the history, civilisation, culture and traditions of ancient India. The Markandeyapurana commences with the questions raised by Rishi Jaimini (a pupil of Vyasa), who approaches the sage Markandeya with doubts related to the Mahabharata. This study examines various social topics such as the status of women, modes of worship, yoga, etc.
Intercaste Marriage
When a man or woman marries an individual of another caste is called intercaste marriage. Though the marriage between the couple of same caste was praiseworthy yet we get much evidence of marriage of an upper class with a lower caste woman.
The Pāraskaragṛhyasūtra prescribes-that Brāhmaṇas can marry from the three varṇas, Kṣatriyas from the two varṇas and Vaiśyas from his own caste only,
tisro brāhmaṇasya varṇānupūrvyeṇa / dve rājanyasya / ekā vaiśyasya /[1] .
We find the description of intercaste marriage in the Smṛti texts like the Yājñavlkyasmṛti, the Vedavyāsasmṛti, etc.[2] In the Yājñvalkyasmṛti, it is described that intercaste marriage was condemnable.[3] The wife of other varṅa had no right to do any ritual of her husband in the presence of savarṇa wife.[4] There are some examples of intercaste marriage in the Rāmāyaṇa. For example, king Yayāti had two wives, one from Brāhmaṇa (Devayānī) another from kṣatriya (Śarmiṣṭhā).[5] According to the Bhāgavatapurāṇa, one should marry one from his own caste and latter on he can accept wives from other castes.[6] This Purāṇa contains many examples of intercaste marriages.[7]
The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa also contains examples of intercaste marriage. For example, Cyavana’s son Pramati married a Kṣatriya lady.[8] King Diṣṭa’s son Nābhāga also married a Vaiśya lady.[9] These intercaste marriages can be considered as the examples of anuloma system of marriage. This Purāṇa prescribes some punishments for of low-caste marriages and for breaking the rules of marriage system.[10] It is noteworthy that this intercaste marriage is found to be criticised by a class of people in their works. For example, Āpastamba criticizes intercaste marriage.[11] As stated in this Purāṇa, the sagotra and the sapravara marriage are not allowed. One should marry a girl who belongs to a different gotra.[12] Here it is described that if a man, after having given his daughter to someone promises to give her to a second person considered to be a very sinful act.[13]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Pāraskaragṛhyasūtra, 1.4
[2]:
Yājñavalkyasmṛti, 1.57; Vedavyāsasmṛti, 2.11
[3]:
Ibid., 1.90
[4]:
Ibid., 1.88
[5]:
Rāmāyaṇa, Uttarakāṇḍa, 58-59
[6]:
gṛhārthī sadṛśīṃ bhāryyāmudvahedajugupsitāṃ /
yavīyasīṃ tu vayasā tāṃ savarṇāmanukramāt // Bhāavatapurāṇa, 11.17.39
[7]:
Ibid., 9.6.40; 9. 15.5-7; 9.3.9-10
[8]:
Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 111.29
[9]:
Ibid., 110.23
[10]:
Ibid., 110.31-35
[11]:
Āpastambadharmaśūtra, 2.6.13.1,3,4
[12]:
tato samānaṛṣikulāṃ tulyāṃ bhāryām arogiṇīm /
udvahan nyāyato’vyaṅgāṃ gṛhasthāśramakāraṇāt // Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 25.18
[13]:
Ibid., 14.68-69