06-18-2009, 06:53 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-18-2009, 07:15 PM by Bharatvarsh.)
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->I guess, whenever that was replaced with maangalyam they probably started getting them married off too at that age? Now that is all my speculation and may have something to do with Islamic invasions and their incessant rape, plunder and loot.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Marrying early was the norm in all premodern societies & it makes sense when considering the prevailing conditions.
Life expectancy was what, 30 years.
At 27 a womans fertility starts to decline & chances of death during childbirth also increase with age.
It is only with modern medicine drastically increasing our life expectancy that marriage is being delayed.
In Silappathikaram, Kannagi was married at 12.
Islamic rape raids may have pushed down the age of marriage a little bit.
Looks like I was wrong, there seems to be a mention of tALi in Bala Khanda:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->vashiSTHo bhagavaan etya vaideham idam abraviit || 1-73-10
raajaa dasharatho raajan kR^ita kautuka mangalaiH |
putraiH nara vara shreSTha daataaram abhikaa.nkSate || 1-73-11
10b, 11. bhagavaan vashiSTHaH= godly, Vashishta; vaideham etya= to Videha king, on going to; idam abraviit= this, said [to Janaka]; nara vara shreSTha= oh, people, among best ones, best one; raajan= oh, king; raajaa dasharathaH= king, Dasharatha; kR^ita kautuka mangalaiH = having performed, marriage-thread, auspicious ceremony; putraiH= with such sons; daataaram abhikaankSate= for donor [of brides,] looking forward.
Then that godly sage Vashishta on going from Vedic-ritual hall to marriage hall said this to Janaka, "Oh, best one among best people, oh, king Janaka, having performed the auspicious marriage-thread ceremony, Dasharatha along with his sons is looking forward for the donor... [1-73-10b, 11]
kR^ita kautuka sarvasvaa vedi muulam upaagataaH |
mama kanyaa munishreSTha diiptaa vahneH iva arciSaH || 1-73-15
15. munishreSTha= oh, eminent-saint; mama kanyaa= my, maids; sarvasvaa= absolutely; kR^ita kautuka [mangalaa]= having performed, marriage-thread, [auspicious ceremony]; diiptaa vahneH arciSaH iva = radiant, fire's, jets of flame, as with; vedi muulam= Altar of Ritual-fire, at its base -; upaagataaH= arrived near - they are already at the Fire-Altar.
"Oh, eminent-saint Vashishta, on absolutely performing the auspicious ceremony for the marriage-thread, and thereby tying thread-band at wrists my daughters have already arrived, and they are at the base of the Altar of Fire, like the irradiant jets of flames of radiant fire... [1-73-15]
http://www.valmikiramayan.net/bala/sarga..._frame.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
But how ancient this is in Sanskrit literature is hard to tell as Bala Khanda & Uttara Khanda are considered later additions to the original.
Also this mAngalyam seems to be somewhat different as it talks about having it tied to their wrists.
Marrying early was the norm in all premodern societies & it makes sense when considering the prevailing conditions.
Life expectancy was what, 30 years.
At 27 a womans fertility starts to decline & chances of death during childbirth also increase with age.
It is only with modern medicine drastically increasing our life expectancy that marriage is being delayed.
In Silappathikaram, Kannagi was married at 12.
Islamic rape raids may have pushed down the age of marriage a little bit.
Looks like I was wrong, there seems to be a mention of tALi in Bala Khanda:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->vashiSTHo bhagavaan etya vaideham idam abraviit || 1-73-10
raajaa dasharatho raajan kR^ita kautuka mangalaiH |
putraiH nara vara shreSTha daataaram abhikaa.nkSate || 1-73-11
10b, 11. bhagavaan vashiSTHaH= godly, Vashishta; vaideham etya= to Videha king, on going to; idam abraviit= this, said [to Janaka]; nara vara shreSTha= oh, people, among best ones, best one; raajan= oh, king; raajaa dasharathaH= king, Dasharatha; kR^ita kautuka mangalaiH = having performed, marriage-thread, auspicious ceremony; putraiH= with such sons; daataaram abhikaankSate= for donor [of brides,] looking forward.
Then that godly sage Vashishta on going from Vedic-ritual hall to marriage hall said this to Janaka, "Oh, best one among best people, oh, king Janaka, having performed the auspicious marriage-thread ceremony, Dasharatha along with his sons is looking forward for the donor... [1-73-10b, 11]
kR^ita kautuka sarvasvaa vedi muulam upaagataaH |
mama kanyaa munishreSTha diiptaa vahneH iva arciSaH || 1-73-15
15. munishreSTha= oh, eminent-saint; mama kanyaa= my, maids; sarvasvaa= absolutely; kR^ita kautuka [mangalaa]= having performed, marriage-thread, [auspicious ceremony]; diiptaa vahneH arciSaH iva = radiant, fire's, jets of flame, as with; vedi muulam= Altar of Ritual-fire, at its base -; upaagataaH= arrived near - they are already at the Fire-Altar.
"Oh, eminent-saint Vashishta, on absolutely performing the auspicious ceremony for the marriage-thread, and thereby tying thread-band at wrists my daughters have already arrived, and they are at the base of the Altar of Fire, like the irradiant jets of flames of radiant fire... [1-73-15]
http://www.valmikiramayan.net/bala/sarga..._frame.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
But how ancient this is in Sanskrit literature is hard to tell as Bala Khanda & Uttara Khanda are considered later additions to the original.
Also this mAngalyam seems to be somewhat different as it talks about having it tied to their wrists.