Ideal marriage - SANATANA DHARMA

Modern day marriages are no way nearer to the ideal marriage ceremony that SANTANA DHARMA proposed and reaffirmed.

Opposite to how it is happening in these modern days, SANATANA DHARMA proposed the following -

# It's the father of the bride-groom who should search for a bride for his son.

# The main criteria for marriage would be - culture & life-style (SAMPRADAYA) of the family, existence of righteous people / devoted elders in the family. It's neither wealth nor prestige that should be considered.

# The father of the bride has the complete authority over the event of the marriage - as he holds the major responsibility of the marriage. Everybody - including the bride-groom's family - should obey him. In return, the father of the bride also should be courteous enough.

# Nobody should hurt / cause pain to the other in a marriage ceremony.

 # As per SANATANA DHARMA, marriage is not a ceremony of 'moving' a girl from her family to her husband's family. She is still the loving member of both the families. It's the UPASANA of Sri Maha Vishnu into the bride-groom & Sri Maha Lakshmi into the bride, done by bride's father; and getting them married for a life of companionship with DHARMA (righteousness), ARTHA (offspring) and KAMA (fulfilled materialistic aspects) working towards MOKSHA.

# Once the marriage gets materialized, the bride assumes complete authority and ownership of her husband's family. As the bride leaves her surname behind and follows her husband, all the respect and prosperity of her husband's family completely belong to her. Ideally, every earning of husband belongs to wife.

# When a married woman has to introduce herself anywhere - she should mention the name of her father-in-law first, before mentioning her husband / father / mother.

# For the father-in-law and mother-in-law, the daughter-in-law should become the first priority over their own daughter/son.

# And the family system connects generations to generations - with the 'responsible authority' of the family moving from mother-in-law to daughter-in-law, with mother-in-law gracefully handing over to daughter-in-law.

SANATANA DHARMA truly recognized the importance of a woman in the family and proposed right attitude, patience & behavior for a married couple to live up-to these VALUES.

These are misinterpreted to a level today that - women are deprived of their basic rights, as well newly created legal acts started spoiling the family system.