All Hindu wives are polyandrous!

[hinduwoman]

It just occurred to me --

In the marriage ritual, the girl is first married to Soma (God of ambrosia) then gandharvas (demi-gods) and then to fire. The human husband, "a son born of woman" is only her fourth husband. That means every Hindu wife automatically commits polyandry. :D

Now for the tough questions: if she gets divorced then is she automatically divorced from the godly husbands as well? If she remarries then does she get remarried to the old set or does she acquire a new set?
Practical details, details! No one seems to be thinking about them!! :rolling::rolling:

[aupmanyav]

Which region, I do not think we have such ceremonies in North India.

[premjan]

Isn't Soma also the god of the moon?

[aupmanyav]

Soma was the wonderous drink, which invigorated Gods and people of the old, and helped Indra to fight Vritra. The moon-God is Chandra.

[premjan]

Yes, but Som-var (Monday) is the day of the moon as well.

[aupmanyav]

The Aryan-Vedic Soma is different from Indigenous Hindu Soma. The moon was never an Aryan God.

[premjan]

Interesting.

[Demon]

Soma was also that hallucinogenic drug everyone used in Brave New World.

[aupmanyav]

Possibly Ephedra.

[aupmanyav]

In the marriage ritual, the girl is first married to Soma (God of ambrosia) then gandharvas (demi-gods) and then to fire. The human husband, "a son born of woman" is only her fourth husband.Perhaps it shows the qualities that those people (who have this ceremony) would like to see in a married woman. One who loves life (Soma), one who is fond of music and dance (gandharvas), and one who can be as devastating as fire in defence of her home. Women are many splendored:

'Bhojyeshu Mata, Kshameshu Dharitri, Karaneshu mantri, Karyeshu dasi,
Roopeshu Lakshmi, Shayaneshu Rambha, Shatkarma nari, Kuladharma patni.'

(Like mother in feeding, like earth in pardoning, like minister in advice, like servant in action,
like Lakshmi (Lord Vishnu's spouse) in looks, like Rambha (celestial enticer) in bed, women of six parts, is truly a partner in family duty.)

[jemand]

Does being "married to fire" have anything to do with the traditional expectation that a widow burn herself?

[Tom Sawyer]

She's married to fire? That must make for an awkard and painful wedding night.

[aupmanyav]

As I said, I know of no such ceremony in North India. Hinduwoman should tell us something more about such ceremonies and their significance. And these can only be symbolic, like not touching the bride and groom during the ritual, giving them the status of Vishnu and Lakshmi.

[whichphilosophy]

It just occurred to me --

In the marriage ritual, the girl is first married to Soma (God of ambrosia) then gandharvas (demi-gods) and then to fire. The human husband, "a son born of woman" is only her fourth husband. That means every Hindu wife automatically commits polyandry. :D

Now for the tough questions: if she gets divorced then is she automatically divorced from the godly husbands as well? If she remarries then does she get remarried to the old set or does she acquire a new set?
Practical details, details! No one seems to be thinking about them!! :rolling::rolling:

My wife thinks I'm enough surplus baggage without another 3 husbands.

[hinduwoman]

As I said, I know of no such ceremony in North India. Hinduwoman should tell us something more about such ceremonies and their significance. And these can only be symbolic, like not touching the bride and groom during the ritual, giving them the status of Vishnu and Lakshmi.

It is not a separate ceremony as such. But during the marriage among a number of Sanskrit hymns, this hymn is also chanted. Some might leave this out but most probably since it is a Rig Vedic hymn no one actually pays notice to what it means.

According to Yagnabalkya samhita --- soma and fire grants purity, gandharvas sweet speech.
According to Sayana, while a girl is immature, Soma enjoys her; in puberty Gandharvas enjoy her; in marriage agni takes charge of her and then transfers her to the human so that the man may get progeny and wealth by her.
But both are later interpretations and so we cannot be sure what exactly they signify.

[zavijava]

It just occurred to me --

In the marriage ritual, the girl is first married to Soma (God of ambrosia) then gandharvas (demi-gods) and then to fire. The human husband, "a son born of woman" is only her fourth husband. That means every Hindu wife automatically commits polyandry. :D

Now for the tough questions: if she gets divorced then is she automatically divorced from the godly husbands as well? If she remarries then does she get remarried to the old set or does she acquire a new set?
Practical details, details! No one seems to be thinking about them!! :rolling::rolling:

the only thing that matters is who pays the alimony.
:cool:

[zavijava]

out of curiousity, do the grooms also get a host of diefied brides or does he receive 1 bride only?

[aupmanyav]

The only thing that matters is who pays the alimony. :cool::rolling: :rolling:

[aupmanyav]

He gets one bride which is a composite of many. (http://iidb.infidels.org/vbb/showthread.php?p=5385398#post5385398 - a mother, earth, minister, servant, Lakshmi, Rambha). ;)

[zavijava]

that is a common part of the wedding ceremony?

now, if I understand correctly then, the bride marries 3 dieties and then her husband...but the husband marries only once, his bride who embodies or becomes the synthesis of these feminine elements?

[hinduwoman]

Zavijava, you just pointed out a case of discrimination. The groom gets only one bride and human at that!

[premjan]

This kind of marriage ceremony is to reassure the wife in a patriarchal setting I imagine.

[aupmanyav]

Zavijava, you just pointed out a case of discrimination. The groom gets only one bride and human at that!This is to reassert the importance of women and wife in family. She is eligible for 40 times the thanks available to the father. The feminists will not understand hindu family values.

[zavijava]

Zavijava, you just pointed out a case of discrimination. The groom gets only one bride and human at that!

it's a gift....and a curse! :devil1:

[zavijava]

This kind of marriage ceremony is to reassure the wife in a patriarchal setting I imagine.

how so? I don't follow your train of thought.

[premjan]

In Hindu marriages the woman leaves her family and joins the family of her husband - this is an occasion for some unease, as to whether she will be treated well or not. The form of the marriage gives some religious significance to the marriage beyond just binding her to the husband - it may indicate that the husband has a divine, social or even spiritual obligation to the wife.

[aupmanyav]

It is her children who would carry the family forward. The mother-in-law will have to leave the family treasure to her. In her old age the mother-in-law (and others) will have to depend on her help. There is no escape. She is the future queen. At some point, the mother-in-law will have to pass on the keys to her. Better be treated well, otherwise the risk is yours.

[zavijava]

In Hindu marriages the woman leaves her family and joins the family of her husband - this is an occasion for some unease, as to whether she will be treated well or not. The form of the marriage gives some religious significance to the marriage beyond just binding her to the husband - it may indicate that the husband has a divine, social or even spiritual obligation to the wife.


It's an interesting theory...but I suspect you are winging it.

[aupmanyav]

A hindu marriage is not an affair between two people, it is between two families with the society and fire (Gods) as witness. Sex is but a part of the duties (and fun), lust is not. The actions of husband, wife, and others should be according to 'dharma' (duty and righteous action). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_Marriage#Acceptance_of_Hand_.28Pani-Grahanam.29

[premjan]

Yes, winging it.

[zavijava]

perhaps it is also meant to remind the groom to treat his wife with respect and dignity.

[hinduwoman]

Zavijava, you just pointed out a case of discrimination. The groom gets only one bride and human at that!This is to reassert the importance of women and wife in family. She is eligible for 40 times the thanks available to the father. The feminists will not understand hindu family values.

The wife is unimportant; the mother is all-important, greater than the father.
Otherwise the feminists do get it correct that Hindu family values are repressive of women.

[hinduwoman]

It is a Rig-Vedic ritual, so modern day family norms and interpretations would not apply.
Is it a reminder of polyandry? A religious ritual declaring the woman is pure always?

[aupmanyav]

Oppressive males and females are found in all societies. Women were married at a younger age (not at the age of 25 or 30 as it happens now in urban areas - I know a women who became a grand-mother at the age of 29 - She is a gynecologist - studied after differences with her husband who went to America for a doctorate and found somebody else. The second woman later ditched him. He came back to this doctor but was told that she does not need him). Hindus do not throw a bloodied handkerchief out of the window to prove that the woman was virgin. A hindu woman passes through phases. She may face restrictions in youth and as a young wife, then comes a time when she takes the decisions. A wife today becomes a mother tomorow. Generally it does not take much time.