Relationships & Marriages in Ancient India

Amish x Brishti Guha | The Immortal India Podcast

What did love, marriage, and relationship really mean in ancient India? Were these rigid and conservative institutions, or did they flourish in an environment of freedom, understanding, and mutual respect?

In this captivating episode, Amish speaks to our special guest, Dr. Brishti Guha, Associate Professor of Economics at the Centre for International Trade and Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Together, they explore the truths about relationships & marriages in India’s past—revealing a society richer and more open-minded than modern preconceptions might suggest.

The discussion spans stories of polyandry, such as Draupadi’s marriage to five Pandavas in the Mahabharata, to the encouragement of widow remarriage across ancient texts, including the Rigveda, Arthashastra, and even theMahabharata. These examples show that the understanding of relationships in ancient India could be surprisingly modern, inclusive, and diverse.

Dr. Guha tells us about the fascinating range of marriages featured in ancient scriptures:

Gandharva Vivaha (marriage by mutual love)

Rakshasa Vivaha (marriage by abduction)

Pisacha Vivaha (marriage by force)

Inter-caste and cross-varna marriages

Traditional arranged marriages

And many more—each demonstrating the complexity and inclusiveness of social life in ancient India

Through this thoughtful conversation, the podcast brings to life a world where individual choice, love, and dharma harmonize with duty, family, and respect for personal will.

If you are passionate about Indian heritage, culture, and philosophy, this episode will transform the way you view the past—and offer valuable lessons for today.

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Find Brishti Guha on Instagram: @brishtiguha12

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Reference Links — For Deeper Exploration

1. Mahabharata

(Adi Parva, Chap 122: Pandu tells Kunti how marriages used to be open until Shvetaketu changed the custom.

Adi Parva, Chap 168: Polyandry, Draupadi marries five Pandavas and Yudhishthir mentions other such marriages in older times.

Adi Parva, Chap 217: Arjun and Chitrangada's "contract" marriage, Arjun gives up rights to his future children with Chitrangada

Udyog Parva, Chaps 114-117: story of Madhavi and her multiple marriages

A link to an English translation of the Sanskrit Mahabharata online is https://sacred-texts.com/hin/maha/index.htm

2. RigVeda (hymn 10.18 is the famous "burial hymn" or "funeral hymn" which talks about widow remarriage). The best translation of the RigVeda is the Jamison and Brereton translation, which also contains a discussion of the word "didhishu" in the hymn, which means "second husband". Here is a link to the Sanskrit hymn:

https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rvsan/rv10018.htm

3. Arthashastra, Book 3, chapters 2 to 4 talk about widow remarriage and inheritance laws relating to children of women who marry more than once

4. Kamasutra, Book 4, chapter 2 also talks about widow remarriage.

5. Harita Dharmasutra talks about "sadyovadhus" and "brahmavadinis", the latter usually didn't marry.

6. Ashvalayana Grihyasutra gives a list of highly respected teachers and many women (Gargi, Sulabha, Maitreyi, Vadava Pratitheyi) are on the list.

7. Baudhayana Dharmasutra, Book 1, chapter 11.20.16 talks about gandharva vivaha being the most popular with everyone.

8. Texts with examples of gandharva vivaha include:

Avimaraka (of Bhasa), a play where a princess marries a shepherd

Chaurapanchasika (of Bilhana), written when the poet was caught having a secret relationship with a princess

Abhigyana Shakuntalam (of Kalidasa)

Brihatkatha

Dashakumaracharita

9. Ancient Indian Historical Tradition by F.E Pargiter explains how there were many mixed castes because intercaste marriages were extremely common.