5. Women in the Atharvavedic Society (a): Marriage

[Full title: 5. Women in the Atharvavedic Society, (a): Social Aspects Related to the Institution of Marriage]

The society of the Atharvavedic period, for being highly patriarchal in nature, though the active participation of the women, is not noticed in certain social institutions, yet, the occasions, they participated are going to be discussed here in this context. The social issues, connected to the women, include customs of marriage; practices of polygamy and polyandry; female education, occupation and dress habits; widow’s position, etc.

The institution of marriage reached a well-established form early in the Ṛgvedic period. The Ṛgvedic marriage hymn,^[1] variably repeated in the Atharvaveda,^[2] supplies a lot of information on marriage customs, in vogue at that time. Up to the time of the Atharvaveda, marriage ceremonies became more prominent with certain additions to the earlier customs. The rituals of marriage ceremony have been discussed in the following chapter and here, only the social aspects related to the institution of marriage are discussed.

Age of Marriage:

In the Atharvaveda, no specific age is recorded to be prescribed to a bride or to a groom for their marriage. But, from the studies of certain references, it may apparently be understood that marriage was instituted during one’s adulthood. The lust for a youthful husband was common to the maidens.^[3] Similarly, the youth of one’s desired wife was expected, which is discerned from the invocation to Indra by a bachelor, where he prays to ensure him a wife, capable of begetting sons.^[4] Besides these, in the marriage hymns, the physical union of both the spouses has been referred to immediate after the marriage.^[5] The ritual of Caturthikākarman, as discussed later, to unite the newly-wed couple was also observed on the fourth night after marriage. Thus, it is observed that the tradition of adult marriage was prevalent during the Atharvavedic period and early marriage has no reference in this Veda.

Arrangement of Marriage:

It has been the common notion in Indian society, since the days of the Vedas, that marriages are fixed by divine entities and not arranged by human beings on the earth. In the Atharvaveda,^[6] it is stated that the god Dhātṛ has fixed the particular husband to the particular bride. Tvaṣṭṛ is also presented as the creator of one’s wife or husband.^[7] Even the fixation of the pairs of animals, also is attributed to Tvaṣṭṛ in the Taittirīyasaṃhitā.^[8] During the episode of pāṇigrahaṇa, the husband declares that Bṛhaspati has given him the bride.^[9] But, the role of the parents, toward the arrangement of the marriage is not neglected at all. Contrarily, they are called as the performer of the marriage.^[10]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ṛgveda, 10.85

[2]:

Atharvaveda, 14.1, 2

[3]:

cf., Ibid., 11.7.18

[4]:

cf., Ibid., 6.82.3

[5]:

cf., Ibid., 14.2.14-17

[6]:

dhātā vipaścit patimasyai viveda … / Ibid., 14.1.59

[7]:

tvaṣṭā jāyāmajayat tvaṣṭāsyai tvāṃ patim / Ibid., 6.78.3

[8]:

tvaṣṭā vai paśūnāṃ mithunānāṃ prajanayitā / Taittirīya-saṃhitā, 2.1.8.4

[9]:

… mahyaṃ tvādād bṛhaspatiḥ / Atharvaveda, 14.1.52

[10]:

vivāhakartāraḥ pitṛmātrādayaḥ / Sāyaṇa, Ibid., 6.78.1