बहुभार्यात्व

{ bahubhāryātva }

Puranic Encyclopaedia

BAHUBHĀRYĀTVA   (Polygamy). Polygamy was a custom in vogue in ancient India. It was not prohibited for a man to have more than one wife. It was customary to give dowry also. It is said in the [Ṛgveda, Maṇḍala 10, Anuvāka 3, Sūkta 11] that the bride should proceed to the house of the husband, after the marriage. A spell (mantra) meant for keeping down one's co-wife, is seen in the [Ṛgveda, Maṇḍala 10, Anuvāka 11, Sūkta 17] . It is a prayer to destroy the love of husband for a co-wife and to direct that love towards oneself. The deity of this spell is Indrāṇī the wife of Indra who was a polygamist. In those days marriage was an essential duty. Widow marriage was not forbidden.