Marriage is a very sacred bond in every culture and religion. It connects not just two people, but two different families. People are familiar with only 2 types of marriages. One is love marriage and the other is arranged marriage. But Hinduism talks about 8 kinds of marriage. Some of these marriages are quite unconventional and even bizarre enough to be forbidden as they fall under the category of crime. Many Hindu scriptures have described these 8 types of marriage and their customs.
These eight types of marriage are completely different from each other. They are Brahma, Daiva, Arsh, Prajapatya, Gandharva, Asura, Rakshasa, and Pishacha. Of these, Brahma and Daiva marriages are the best. Arsha, Prajapatya, and Gandharva marriages fall in the middle category. The rest are inauspicious and sinful.
Let us find out more about these 8 types of marriages in Hinduism: –
1. Brahma Marriage
Brahma Vivah is the first. In this type of marriage, the boy and the girl belong to the same caste, and they get married with the consent of their families. The marriage ceremony is held in accordance with all the prescribed Hindu customs and rules associated with Hinduism. The marriage is performed with adherence to clan and gotra.
2. Daiva Marriage
In Daiva Vivah, which is the second, one's daughter is married to a special groom for some kind of service, religious work, or good purpose. One important thing to keep in mind is that knowing the desire of the girl is very important. The girl should not be forced into the marriage. She should submit to it voluntarily.
3. Arsha Marriage
Arsha Vivah comes third. P.K. Acharya says that the word “Arsha” comes from “Rishi” or sage. Sages entered into such marriages in ancient times. The sage would take a girl in marriage after giving cows or bulls and clothes to the parents of the girl. These were not given as the bride price, but as a token of gratitude given by the groom to a person who gave his daughter to him, thereby enabling him to perform his Grihastha dharma (duty of a householder).
4. Prajapatya Marriage
Prajapatya Marriage is the fourth kind. Here, the girl's father places his daughter's hand in the groom's hand and says that they should follow the grihastha dharma together. As per religious beliefs, the child born to the couple after this marriage takes the family lineage forward.
5. Asura Marriage
In Asura Vivah, the groom gives some money or articles to the girl’s family members in exchange for the bride. It is, therefore, regarded as marriage by purchase. An example is the marriage of King Pandu with Madri in the Mahabharata. This type of marriage can be found even now in some tribal areas. It is not necessary to take the girl’s consent in this marriage.
6. Gandharva Marriage
Gandharva Vivah takes place with the mutual love and consent of the bride and the groom. It is like a modern love marriage. In this marriage, the bride’s father and other relations do not play any role. A good example is the marriage of Shakuntala with Dushyanta. In Gandharva marriage, a havan is performed with the fire brought from the house of a Kshatriya, and the marriage is completed by taking three rounds.
7. Rakshasa Marriage
Rakshasa Vivah is marriage by capture. The groom forcibly abducts the girl from her parent’s house after killing or wounding her kinsmen. One example is the marriage between Krishna and Rukmani. This kind of marriage is prevalent among some tribes even now. It is not very acceptable in society. Though the scriptures and Puranas mention such marriages, they are not considered sacred.
8. Paishacha Marriage
This is the most sinful of all the 8 types of marriages. In a Paisacha marriage, a man seduces a woman without her consent. It can happen when she is sleeping, in a state of intoxication, or mentally weak. Then he forces her to marry him. This kind of marriage attracts severe punishment in society.
The 8 forms of marriage in Hinduism fall into two groups-Dharmya (legal) and Adharmya (illegal). The first four types of marriages have the approval of society and come under Dharmya marriage, as it is the father who arranges the marriage, offering his daughter to a worthy person as a gift. Hence, the first four types of marriage - Brahma, Daiva, Arsha, and Prajapatya - are the most favored types of marriage. The last four – Asura, Gandharva, Rakshasa, and Paishacha – are not approved by society. They are called Adharmya or illegal marriages.
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