This is of eight kinds:—
1. Bráhmya.* The girl's father with other elders of the family visit the bridegroom and bring him to his house where the relations assemble. Then the grandfather, or brother, or any other male relation, or the mother, says before the company:—“I have bestowed such and such a maiden upon such and such a man.” The bridegroom in the presence of the same company gives his consent. Certain incantations are then pronounced and the Homa sacrifice is performed. It is then declared that the girl's mother has borne male children and was of smaller stature than her husband,* and that the bridegroom is not impotent, and both parties declare that they have not been subject to leprosy, phthisis, dyspepsia, hemorrhoids, piles, ehronic issue of blood, deformity of limb, or epilepsy. At the nuptials an attendant of the bride washes the feet of the bride and bridegroom and draws the sectarial marks upon them. Three vessels filled severally with rice and curds, after certain incantations have been pronounced, are then given to them to eat. When this is concluded they are dressed out and taken to a retired chamber and a curtain is hung between the bride and bridegroom. The father takes each of the young people and turns them facing the east and a Bráhman repeats certain prayers and places in the hand of each some rice and five betel-nuts. The curtain is then removed and they present to each other what they hold in their hands. The Bráhman next places the two hands of the bride in those of the bridegroom and repeats certain prayers and then reverses the ceremony; after which he binds them both with loose-spun cotton thread, and the girl's father taking her hand gives her to the bridegroom and says, ‘May there be ever participation between you and this nursling of happiness in three things—in good works, in worldly goods, and tranquillity of life. “Finally, a fire is lit and the pair are led round it seven times,* and the marriage is completed. Until this is done, the engagement may be lawfully cancelled.
2. Daiva (of the Devas). At the time of a sacrifice, all is given away in alms and a maiden is bestowed on the Bráhman performing the sacrifice. The betrothal is then made and the other ceremonies are conducted as aforesaid.*
3. Ârsha (of the Rishis). This rite takes place when a pair of kine have been received from the bridegroom.
4. Prájápatya* (of the Prájápatis). The man and woman are brought together and united by this bond.
5. A´sura (of the A´suras). The maiden is received in marriage after as much wealth has been presented to her kinsmen (as the suitor can afford).*
6. Gándharva (of the Gándharvas). The pair entertain a mutual affection and are voluntarily united in wedlock without the knowledge of others.
7. Rákshasa (of the Rákshasas), is the forcible seizure and abduction of a girl from her people by the ravisher to his own house and there marrying her.
8. Paisácha (of the Pisáchas). This rite receives this name when the lover secretly approaches a girl when asleep or intoxicated or disordered in mind.
Everywhere there is some difference in the preliminary betrothals, but the concluding ceremonies are after the manner above described. The four rites are lawful for a Bráhman; and besides the second, all are within his privilege. The fifth is lawful to a Vaiśya or a ´Súdra; the sixth and seventh for a Kshatriya. The eighth is held disgraceful by all.*
A dower is not mentioned in the case of Bráhmans, and divorce is not customary: In the former ages of the world, it was the rule for Bráhmans to take wives from among all the castes, while the other three castes considered it unlawful to wed a Bráhman woman. The same practice obtained between all superior and inferior castes reciprocally. In the present Kali Yuga no one chooses a wife out of his own caste, nay, each of these four being subdivided into various branches, each subdivision asks in marriage only the daughters of their own equals.
Although there are numerous classes of Bráhmans, the noblest by descent are from the (seven) Ṛishis, Kaśyapa, Atri, Bharadvája, Viśva-mitra, Gotáma, Angiras, and Pulastya.* Each of these has numerous ramifications. When any member of one of these families attains to any worldly and spiritual eminence and becomes the founder of any class of institutes, his posterity are called by his name. The family caste of each is called Kula (Hindi kul) or gotra,* (Hindi gotar), and the rule is that if a youth and maid be of the same gotra, however distant be the relationship, their marriage is unlawful; but if one be of a separate kula, they may lawfully marry. Kshatriyas, Vaiśyas and ´Súdras are dependent for their marriage ceremony on a family priest (purohita), and each class has a special Bráhman from one of the seven lines of descent. If the maid and the youth have their several family priests belonging to the same kula, their marriage is held unlawful. When united in marriage, the wife leaves her own gotra and enters that of her husband.
When the betrothal is first proposed the lines of paternal and maternal ancestry of both the woman and the man are scrutinised. In computing either of the two genealogies, if within each fifth degree of ascent the lines unite, the marriage is not lawful. Also if in the two paternal genealogies, they unite in any generation, the marriage cannot take place. Scrutiny of the maternal descent on both sides is not necessary. If in the paternal genealogies of both parties, consanguinity through a female occurs in the eighth generation, it is held lawful, but if in the paternal lines of both, consanguinity through a female occurs in the sixth generation it constitutes a fresh (impediment of) kinship. The same result occurs if the consanguinity occurs in the sixth generation by the mother's side.
Until the elder brother is married, the younger may not lawfully be so.
It is held expedient that the bride should not be under eight,* and any age over ten is thought improper. The man should be twenty-five, and marriage after fifty years of age, they regard as unbecoming. Excepting in the king, it is not considered right for a man to have more than one wife, unless his first wife is sickly or proves barren, or her children die. In these cases, he may marry ten wives, but if the tenth proves defective, he may not marry again. If his first wife is suitable, and he desires to take another, he must give the first a third part of his estate.
It was the custom in ancient times for the daughters of kings when they sought a husband, to hold a great festival. Her suitors were assembled together and the damsel attended the banquet in person. Of whomever she made choice, she placed upon his neck a string of pearls and flowers. This custom was called Svayamvara, or self-choice.*
Quando mulier mensium suorum expers sit quod post quatriduum contingit, si maritus ejus intra duodecim dies proximos in quibus satis probabile est conceptus, ineat eam, necesse est illi perlutum esse. In reliquis temporibus dissimilis est ratio et manus pedesque lavare satis esse censeant. Per totum tempus mensium coitum in crimine ponunt. In diebus his, vivit mulier in secessu, neque cibum mariti nec vestimenta tangit neque ad culinam accedit ne contaminet eam.