Source: here.
While there are reams of writings on the yeses and nos of Hindu marriage there is a short sanskrit tract called the agni-vivAha smR^iti that provides its somewhat atypical account of the same. The text is attributed to a certain puShkara and contains 19 verses. The tract may be dated to approximately to the period of the first 6 centuries of the common era. I examined it because it throws interesting light on old Indian customs. Below are some excerpts:
- A Brahmin is allowed a maximum of 4 wives and the number decreases for each subsequent varNa.
- The kshatriya is asked to hold an arrow during marriage, while the vaishya a bag having a toad in it, and the shudra a piece of cloth.+++(5)+++
- One who abducts a woman is recommended the death punishment or payment of a heavy fine.
- The wife may choose a new husband under the following conditions:
- a) the male is sterile
- b) the male indulges in promiscuous dalliance or visits public women
- c) the male has no interest in married life and takes saMnyAsa
- d)the male dies
- e)the male vanishes during a journey or voyage.
- Ideally if the male dies, the female must take the brother of the male.
- Same gotra marriage should not happen [If it does, the male and female should cancel their marriage and live as a brother and sister avoiding intercourse]. The male and the female should not share a common ancestor for 7 generations on the paternal side and 5 on the maternal side.
- An image of the great goddess indrANi was made of pot clay on the marriage day and worshipped by the woman beside a pond, then the bride is lead to the house to the accompaniment of music.
- There was the ArSha marriage where the marriage was accompanied by the gift of wealth, and there was the asura marriage where a hefty purchase money was payed to obtain the woman from her clan.
- And then as in these days there was some astrology.
The traditions of Hindu marriage have considerably changed since those time