Swayamvara
Encyclopedia
Swayamvara in ancient India
, was a practice of choosing a husband, from among a list of suitors, by a girl of marriageable age
. Swayam in Sanskrit means self and vara means choice or desire (which also synonymous with bride-groom).
In this practice, the girl's father decides to conduct the Swayamvara of the daughter at an auspicious time and venue, and broadcasts the news of this to the outside world. Kings typically used to send messengers to outside lands, whereas commoners arranged to spread the news within the local community.
On the appointed day and venue, a list of suitors arrive at the girl's home and ask for her hand. The girl and her family get to choose among the suitors, sometimes through evaluating the completion of various tasks assigned. When the girl identifies the husband of her choice, she garlands him and a marriage ceremony is held immediately.
epic Ramayana
(रामायण), Sītā
(सीता) marries Rama
(रामा), the only one strong enough to lift the Shivа Dhanushа (Lord Shiva
's Bow) and string it.
There is mention of swayamvara in Valmiki Ramayana. but in Tulsidas Ramayan Ram Charit Manas this swayamwara is described. In Valmiki Ramayana Janak raja tells that he has promised to marry Sita to the person who can lift dhanusha and string it. No one could do before Rama. Rama did it. This condition of lifting dhanusha was called by Janak as virya shulka, cost to be paid by suitor for marrying sita.
(द्रौपदी), the daughter of King Dhrupad
of Paanchal in the Mahābhārata
(महाभारत), aspirants had to hit a fish's eye with a bow and arrow. This fish was just an image on a rotating wheel, which was rotating on a rod. The rod was placed in a pan filled with water. The many suitors had to pierce the eye with a bow and arrow only using the reflection created by the water in the pan. Prince Arjuna
, the third among the Pandava
s, succeeds in hitting the fish.
is found in the story of Damayanti
who chooses Nala
for her husband, against the wishes of the gods.
held a swayamvara for his daughter Sanyogita, who was in love with Prithviraj Chauhan
, the enemy of her father. To insult Prithviraj, Jaichand installed a lookalike statue of Prithviraj as the gatekeeper to the swayamvara. Sanyogita during the swayamvara went and garlanded the statue; Prithviraj, who was hiding nearby, took Sanyogita on his steed and eloped with her.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, was a practice of choosing a husband, from among a list of suitors, by a girl of marriageable age
Marriageable age
Marriageable age is the age at which a person is allowed to marry, either as of right or subject to parental or other forms of consent. The age and other requirements vary between countries, but generally it is set at 18, although most jurisdictions allow marriage at slightly younger ages with...
. Swayam in Sanskrit means self and vara means choice or desire (which also synonymous with bride-groom).
In this practice, the girl's father decides to conduct the Swayamvara of the daughter at an auspicious time and venue, and broadcasts the news of this to the outside world. Kings typically used to send messengers to outside lands, whereas commoners arranged to spread the news within the local community.
On the appointed day and venue, a list of suitors arrive at the girl's home and ask for her hand. The girl and her family get to choose among the suitors, sometimes through evaluating the completion of various tasks assigned. When the girl identifies the husband of her choice, she garlands him and a marriage ceremony is held immediately.
Sītā
In the HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
epic Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
(रामायण), Sītā
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
(सीता) marries Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
(रामा), the only one strong enough to lift the Shivа Dhanushа (Lord Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
's Bow) and string it.
There is mention of swayamvara in Valmiki Ramayana. but in Tulsidas Ramayan Ram Charit Manas this swayamwara is described. In Valmiki Ramayana Janak raja tells that he has promised to marry Sita to the person who can lift dhanusha and string it. No one could do before Rama. Rama did it. This condition of lifting dhanusha was called by Janak as virya shulka, cost to be paid by suitor for marrying sita.
Draupadī
For DrāupadīDraupadi
In the epic Mahābhārata, Draupadi, also known as ' is the "emerged" daughter of King Drupada of Panchāla and the wife of the five Pandavas. When Yudhisthira becomes the king of Hastinapura at the end of the war, Draupadi becomes the queen of Indraprastha...
(द्रौपदी), the daughter of King Dhrupad
Dhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
of Paanchal in the Mahābhārata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
(महाभारत), aspirants had to hit a fish's eye with a bow and arrow. This fish was just an image on a rotating wheel, which was rotating on a rod. The rod was placed in a pan filled with water. The many suitors had to pierce the eye with a bow and arrow only using the reflection created by the water in the pan. Prince Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
, the third among the Pandava
Pandava
In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu , by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Although, Karna is told by Lord Krishna that according to the laws and ethics he is the first son of Kunti making...
s, succeeds in hitting the fish.
Damayantī
Another famous swayamvara from the MahabharataMahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
is found in the story of Damayanti
Damayanti
Damayanti , a character in Hindu mythology, was the princess of Vidarbha Kingdom, who married king Nala, of Nishadha Kingdom, and their story is told in the Mahabharata.-The story:...
who chooses Nala
Nala
Nala , a character in Hindu mythology, is the king of Nishadha Kingdom, son of Virasena. Nala is known for his skill with horses and culinary expertise. He marries princess Damayanti, of Vidarbha Kingdom, and their story is told in the Mahabharata. His main weakness is gambling...
for her husband, against the wishes of the gods.
Sanyogita
King Jaichand of KannaujJaichand of Kannauj
Jaichand was the Rajput ruler of Kannauj. He was the father of Sanyogita, Prithvi Raj Chauhan's wife. Jaichand was the name of the last ruler of Kannauj belonging to the Rathore dynasty.-Sources:...
held a swayamvara for his daughter Sanyogita, who was in love with Prithviraj Chauhan
Prithviraj III
Prithvi Raj III, commonly known as Prithviraj Chauhan , was a king of the Hindu Chauhan dynasty, who ruled the kingdom of Ajmer and Delhi in northern India during the latter half of the 12th century....
, the enemy of her father. To insult Prithviraj, Jaichand installed a lookalike statue of Prithviraj as the gatekeeper to the swayamvara. Sanyogita during the swayamvara went and garlanded the statue; Prithviraj, who was hiding nearby, took Sanyogita on his steed and eloped with her.