Svayamvara

Common card · No. 411316

Svayaṃvara (Sanskrit: स्वयंवर lit. 'self-choice') is a matrimonial tradition in ancient Hindu society where a bride, usually from Kṣatriya (warrior) caste, selects her husband from a group of assembled suitors either by her own choice or a public contest between her suitors. This practice is featured in the two major Sanskrit Itihasas (epics), the Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyaṇa, though its prevalence and portrayal vary significantly between them. The origins of Svayaṃvara can be traced back to the Vedic period and some scholars suggest that it emerged from the Gāndharva marriage tradition, diverging from more ritualistic and arranged forms of marriage, and developed as a narrative device within the epics to highlight the heroism and valor of protagonists, aligning with the Kṣatriya ethos of competition and martial prowess. Despite being closely associated with the epics, Svayaṃvara is not listed as a form of marriage in the Dharmaśāstra, a collection of Sanskrit texts on law and conduct....

Read on Wikipedia · Image Nandalal Bose, Public domain