8 Types of Hindu Marriages Recognized by Manusmriti

Manusmriti or the Laws of Manu is a discourse on how a Hindu should lead a life. Manu, a Hindu sage, passed down these social laws to Hindu rishis and saints. The laws were compiled and considered to be the words of Lord Brahma. Manusmriti originally had 1000 chapters, and later was presented only in 12 chapters.

According to Manusmriti, there are 8 different types of Hindu marriages based on the circumstances under which a marriage is taking place.

• Brahma Vivaha: Manusmriti identifies Brahma vivaha to be the ideal form of Hindu matrimony. In this wedding, the bride and the groom belong to good families and are from the same caste (varna). According to the customs of this wedding, the boy’s family has to approach the girl’s parents and ask for her hand in marriage. Kanyadaan or the handing over of the bride to the groom by her father is considered to be an important ritual in this form of marriage. The groom promises that he will never be deceitful to his wife in terms of piety, progeny and pleasure. 
• Daiva Vivaha: In this wedding, a father gives his daughter’s hand in marriage to a sacrificial priest, as part of his fee. This marriage takes place when the parents of the bride have looked for a suitable groom for a long time and have been unable to find a good match for her. 

• Arsa Vivaha: In this marriage, the father of the bride offers dowry to the groom’s family and the groom’s family also has to give a cow and a bull as gifts to the bride’s family. Instead of the animals, the token price for the bride (ie., the price of a cow and bull) is also accepted by the bride’s family. 
• Prajapatya Vivaha: According to Manusmriti, this is a form of marriage where the bride’s father does not have to give any dowry and neither does he demand any bride price from the groom’s family. 
• Gandharva Vivaha: This is what the modern world knows as love marriage. In this wedding, two people who are in love tie the matrimonial knot. For social acceptance, this kind of matrimony is often solemnized at religious ceremonies. 
• Asura Vivaha:  This is marriage by purchase; in this wedding, the father of the bride accepts the bride-price from the groom.
• Rakshasa Vivaha: This is the marriage that takes place between a man and a woman, where the woman was captured by the man in a war or otherwise and forced into the marriage. 
• Paishacha Vivaha: Here the bride is seduced by a man through his tricks into marriage. She was not in her senses during the marriage and therefore has not consented to the marriage. 

Nowadays these forms of marriages are unknown to many Hindus. However, these forms of marriages are still prevalent in different parts of India.

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