The Eight Ways of Taking a Wife

Verse 1 (13.56.1)

श्रुतं बहुविधं वृत्तं कन्यकानां महामते । इच्छामि योषितां श्रोतुं धर्माधर्मौ परिग्रहे ॥

śrutaṃ bahuvidhaṃ vṛttaṃ kanyakānāṃ mahāmate | icchāmi yoṣitāṃ śrotuṃ dharmādharmau parigrahe

I have heard much, O wise one, about the ways concerning maidens. I wish to hear about dharma and adharma in the taking of women as wives.

Note on the text: Removed the speaker heading "`मार्कण्डेय उवाच" (with a stray backtick) printed as the first line of the verse text; it is made the speaker. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 98-99, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0098-0099.

Verse 2 (13.56.2)

अष्टौ भार्यागमा धर्म्या नराणां दारकर्मणि । प्रेत्येह च हिता यास्तु सपुत्रा हव्यकव्यदाः ॥

aṣṭau bhāryāgamā dharmyā narāṇāṃ dārakarmaṇi | pretyeha ca hitā yāstu saputrā havyakavyadāḥ

There are eight lawful ways for men to take a wife in marriage, ways that are good in this world and the next, whose wives bear sons who give oblations and offerings.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 100-101, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0100-0101.

Verse 3 (13.56.3)

साध्वी पाणिगृहीता या कौमारी पाणिवर्जिता । भ्रातृभार्या स्वभार्येति प्रसूयेत्पुत्रमौरसम् ॥

sādhvī pāṇigṛhītā yā kaumārī pāṇivarjitā | bhrātṛbhāryā svabhāryeti prasūyetputramaurasam

The virtuous wife taken by the hand, the kaumari wife not taken by the hand, a brother's wife, and one's own wife: each may bear a legitimate son.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 102-103, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0102-0103.

Verse 4 (13.56.4)

त्रयो भार्यागमा ज्ञेया यत्र धर्मो न नश्यति । पञ्चान्याः पश्चिमा ब्रूहि भार्यास्तासां च ये सुताः ॥

trayo bhāryāgamā jñeyā yatra dharmo na naśyati | pañcānyāḥ paścimā brūhi bhāryāstāsāṃ ca ye sutāḥ

"Three ways of taking a wife are to be known as those in which dharma is not lost. Tell me of the other five, the later ones, those wives and their sons."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 104-105, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0104-0105.

Verse 5 (13.56.5)

सगोत्रभार्या क्रीता च परभार्या च कारिता । गतागता च या भार्या आश्रमादाहृता च या ॥

sagotrabhāryā krītā ca parabhāryā ca kāritā | gatāgatā ca yā bhāryā āśramādāhṛtā ca yā

"A wife of the same gotra, a bought wife, another man's wife taken by arrangement, a wife who has gone away and returned, and one brought from a hermitage:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 106-107, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0106-0107.

Verse 6 (13.56.6)

एता भार्यागमाः पञ्च पुनर्भार्या भवन्ति याः । एता भार्या नृणां गम्यास्तत्पुत्रा हव्यकव्यदाः ॥

etā bhāryāgamāḥ pañca punarbhāryā bhavanti yāḥ | etā bhāryā nṛṇāṃ gamyāstatputrā havyakavyadāḥ

these are the five ways of taking a wife, whose wives become remarried wives. These wives are fit for men to approach, and their sons give oblations and offerings."

Note on the text: Removed a stray quote mark and doubled danda printed before the verse-end mark. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 108-109, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0108-0109.