शास्त्रं वदति- 7

Saastram speaks -7
The following verse is from the ninth chapter of Manu smriti.

It says- Let a girl wait for three years, though she is of marriageable age. After that period she can choose a husband by herself who can be of equal caliber.

त्रीणि वर्षाण्युदीक्षेत कुमारी ऋतुमती सती।
ऊर्ध्वं तु कालात् एतस्मात् विन्देत सदृशं पतिम् ।। (9- 90)

trīṇi varṣāṇyudīkṣeta kumārī ṛtumatī satī
ūrdhvaṁ tu kālāt etasmāt vindeta sadṛśaṁ patim (9- 90)

कुमारी – A girl, ऋतुमती सती – after attaining the suitable age, त्रीणि- three, वर्षाणि- years, उदीक्षेत- wait, ऊर्ध्वं – above, एतस्मात् – that, कालात् – time or period, सदृशं- suitable or equal, पतिम्- husband, विन्देत –select or choose.

7 comments:

InConvincible said...

It proves that our ancestors possessed the thinking of equality. This quality, though, is not exhibited by their predecessors who claim to be worshiping and following them.

Visalakshi said...

Wow! How I wish this practise had continued! We would have been saved from watching hundreds of movies based on love marriages and the struggles associated :-)
Humour apart, I agree with R.K. that this proves how people were quite broadminded in those days.

InConvincible said...

Along with that, its also raises a question. Could the writer please refer to something that defines "marriageable age" of a girl, and a boy too.

karunakaran said...

Not 33% quota, 100% were given by the Manu it seems!!!!!!!!

P.R.Gayathri said...

The word ऋतुमती (ritumatI) actually means 'a girl who has attained puberty'.She can choose a suitable husband after three from her puberty. Hence,Manu indirectly hints that the marriageable for a girl is between 16 and 19. (Child marriage is accepeted according to manu smriti)

Visalakshi said...

To clarify PRG's comment and the sloka - In Manu's times child marriage was accepted hence the marriageable age was not clearly defined. A second look at the sloka reveals that "A girl can wait up to three years after attaining puberty for her parents to choose a groom. (Manu gives her the license that) After that period, she can choose her own."

P.R.Gayathri said...

sorry, It is three YEARS after her puberty.
And marriageable AGE.
I missed the words YEARS and AGE in my previous comment.