Marriage inside family

[Guest guest]

Can a boy/girl marry his niece/nephew? What do the vedic scriptures say about it?

[maadhav 0]

the vedic people usually do not marry to niece/nephews.

(this is however very common in the muslims of the world.)

 

if a vedic boy's mother's family name is girl's family name,

then such marriage is discouraged srongly.

 

[Vinayakan 0]

That is why we cann't marry within the same gotra.

[Guest guest]

According to Hindu System, Unclde is equivalent to father therefore no question of marrying niece or nephew. Even the cousins are considered to be equivalent to own brothers and sisters. Till date even same gotra boys and girls are considered to be brothers and sisters hence no marriages within same gotra.

 

 

[Guest guest]

well, i was wondering if there are any scriptural references or the acharyas have said anything about it specifically.

 

Because, all that the vedic system cares is about spiritual progress. And if a boy/niece marriage can help both of them in that direction, then thats alll it matters. Rest of it is secondary. What do you all say for it?

 

But, the feedback I received from some authorized sources said that the boy could marry his sister's(elder/younger) daughter and should never try to get married to his brother's(elder/younger) daughter.

 

awaiting some detailed reply,

thanks a lot.. Hare Krshna. Jai Sita Rama

[maadhav 0]

Vinayakan,

 

please tell how one can post something in devanagari here.

I use Sanskrit99 font.

 

 

 

[maadhav 0]

<< Because, all that the vedic system cares is about spiritual progress. And if a boy/niece marriage can help both of them in that direction, then thats alll it matters. Rest of it is secondary. What do you all say for it? >>

 

those who care for their own spiritual progress and care for no one, are selfish.

 

the vedic people also have the responsibility to maintain helthy vedic society over generations. the body is the tool for spiritual progress, and better bodies and minds come in this world when the vedic traditions are maintained. not to marry within family is one vedic tradition.

 

also note that animals and monkies have no sense with whom they mate. a son becomes husband of his mother or sister. we human beings are not animals, if we live per vedic traditions and wisdom. culture is an environment that hinders or helps progress spiritually. vedic culure helps all to progress spiritually.

 

[Deewani 0]

"According to Hindu System, Unclde is equivalent to father therefore no question of marrying niece or nephew. Even the cousins are considered to be equivalent to own brothers and sisters. Till date even same gotra boys and girls are considered to be brothers and sisters hence no marriages within same gotra."

 

But did not Arjuna marry Subhadra, who was his cousin? Arjun's mother and Subhadra's father were brother and sister.

 

 

[Ganeshprasad 0]

Jai Ganesh

 

Re

(But did not Arjuna marry Subhadra, who was his cousin? Arjun's mother and Subhadra's father were brother and sister.)

 

Arjuns mother Kuntaji was adopted therefor they were not blood related.

 

Jai Shree Krishna

 

[BinduMadhav 0]

Deewani wrote:

 

{But did not Arjuna marry Subhadra, who was his cousin? Arjun's mother and Subhadra's father were brother and sister.}

 

Dear Deewani,

 

Can you elaborate on this a little? Who exactly were Kunti's parents and who exactly were Subhadra's parents? Of course, we all know that Subhadra was Krishna's sister and Kunti was a princess that married Pandu. Also, can you cite references? Thanks.

[Ganeshprasad 0]

Jai Ganesh

Re

(Arjuns mother Kuntaji was adopted therefor they were not blood related.)

 

I stand corrected although Kuntaji was adopted but actually she was real sister of Vasuddeva therefor cousin of Krishna.

Weather Subhadra was born of Vasudeva i do not know.

 

Kunti was an ideal lady, full of devotion and good conduct. She was the real sister of Vasudeva, the father of Lord Krishna. Hence, she was the aunt of Lord Krishna and of course was the mother of the three Pandavas- Yudhishtir, Bheema and Arjuna. Her childhood name was Pritha and the king Kunti Bhoja had adopted her. Thus raised by Kunti Bhoja, she came to be known as Kunti.

 

Jai Shree Krishna

[Deewani 0]

BinduMadhav wrote:

 

 

Can you elaborate on this a little? Who exactly were Kunti's parents and who exactly were Subhadra's parents? Of course, we all know that Subhadra was Krishna's sister and Kunti was a princess that married Pandu. Also, can you cite references?

 

 

Before I commence on my understanding, please forgive me if I have erred. I hope you are able to enlighten us further.

 

Pritha - Daughter of Surasen. Pritha was raised by Surasen's brother Kuntibhoj, and hence Pritha became known as Kunti.

 

Vasudev - Son of Surasen

 

Arjun - Son of Kunti

 

Subhadra - Daughter of Vasudev

 

My sources are the Mahabharat by BR Chopra, texts and also the following website has a link on the family tree:

 

Family tree for Kaurav, Pandav & Krishna

 

Please clarify the relationships if I have been misled.

[BinduMadhav 0]

Deewani wrote:

 

-------

Before I commence on my understanding, please forgive me if I have erred. I hope you are able to enlighten us further.

 

Pritha - Daughter of Surasen. Pritha was raised by Surasen's brother Kuntibhoj, and hence Pritha became known as Kunti.

 

Vasudev - Son of Surasen

 

Arjun - Son of Kunti

 

Subhadra - Daughter of Vasudev

 

My sources are the Mahabharat by BR Chopra, texts and also the following website has a link on the family tree:

 

Family tree for Kaurav, Pandav & Krishna

 

Please clarify the relationships if I have been misled.

--

 

Thank you, dear Deewaniji. I re-learnt something that I had long ago forgotten. Appreciate your help.

 

But just one comment. This means that Arjuna married his mom's brother's daughter. Even now, this is acceptable in certain parts of South India (marrying Maama's daughter, Maama being one's mom's brother). In such a case, the bride and the groom will not belong to the same Gotra. But yes, they are cousins.

[Guest guest]

To my knowledge Kunti was adopted.

In the traditional Hindu way of life marriage/relationships within family are strictly condemned. There are very good scientific reasons for this as well. Many communities, especially Muslims, have a hightened number of disabilities such as blindness, deafness etc due to marriage within the family. You do not marry blood relatives even if you suspect someone in the past did (eg in the times of the Mahabharata). Many things from holy scriptures have been taken out of context and 'lost in translation'. If nothing else use a bit of common sense!

Another thing, in Hinduism things are not strictly enforced but mildly implied which is why Hinduism is much more than a religion - it's a way of life. There is a reason why it isnt common practice to marry within the family and if scientific research supports this then there is no reason to doubt it.

 

[krishnadasa 0]

I guess even if the family names are same , if the gotras are differnt then the marriages can take place .

 

Hari hari bol

 

[aqua3 0]

The following is an article found in www.IndiaNest.com.

 

Recently, US President (& Author of Declaration of Independence of United States) Thomas Jefferson's paternity of his slave Sally Fleming's children has been in news. For nearly 200 years, since US president Thomas Jefferson's time, many traditionalists maintained that Jefferson did not cohabit with Sally. But some descendents of Sally maintained otherwise and claimed to be progeny of the ex-president. This old historical controversy has now been resolved using modern genetic DNA analysis methods (Reference - Founding father by Eric S Lander & Joseph J Ellis and Foster et al, Nature | Volume 396 | 5 November 1998 | pages 14, 27-28).

 

The genetic DNA study of descendents of Jefferson family and Sally Fleming's family, has confirmed with very high probability that, US President Thomas Jefferson was indeed the father of at least one of the sons of Sally Fleming.

 

How was this genetic work done? Geneticists used a scientific fact, that most of the male Y-chromosome is passed intact from father to son. Females do not carry the Y-chromosome. With modern advances in genetics, this fact has been used to trace paternal lineage, and resolve stories like Thomas Jefferson's.

 

Thomas Jefferson did not have surviving sons from his legal wife. But his paternal uncle's male lineage is in tact to present time. The genetic Y-chromosome of these persons (eight generations down from Thomas Jefferson's paternal uncle) living at present time was used as the reference. This was compared with intact male line persons from (Five generations down from) Sally Fleming living presently. The geneticists used polymorphic markers so that Y-chromosome can be distinguished by haplotypes. They found that Sally Fleming's son Eston's male line progeny had same haplotypes as Field Jefferson who was paternal uncle of Thomas Jefferson. Using other physical and living proximity factors, the geneticists have concluded with high probability that Eston Fleming was the son of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Fleming.

 

This class of human male lineage research is now very active and is being conducted in native populations of Wales, England, in Iceland and to establish uniqueness, paternity, historical lineage, medical issues and intellectual issues of heredity etc amongst various population groups.

Does this not ring a bell amongst traditional Hindus who believe in 'gothra' identification carried down from Sanathana-dharma orthodoxy?.

'Gothra' is an identity carried by male lineage in India from time immemorial. Most people have gothra chain names traceable to Rig Vedic Rishis like 'Gowthama', 'Vasishta' 'Viswamithra' and to first sons of Vaivaswatha Manu like Angirasa & Bhrigu. Purana such as Vishnu Purana refer to individual identity through 'Gothra'. Listings of more than 250 Gothra chains have been explicitly listed. I have heard of instances of Muslims converted from Hinduism still keeping track of their 'Gothra'.

 

For example we know that Buddha, named Siddhartha was of 'Gowthama Gothra'. It means that his Y-chromosomes were probably from Rig-Vedic Rishi 'Gowthama Rahoogana'.

 

How did the people of 3000-4000 years ago realize that genetically there was transference of some unique characteristics only from father to son (in the form of Y-chromosomes)? In recent past when it was fashionable to condemn all Indian traditional systems as of no value, non-believers have referred to 'Gothra' as archaic, unscientific, irrelevant and male chauvinistic!

 

Modern DNA & genetic research has confirmed male line Y-chromosomal transference, through 8 generations in case of Thomas Jefferson. 'Gothra' in essence really stands for Y-chromosomal identity.

 

Nearly 2500 years have passed since death of Buddha, but many 'Gowthama Gothra' individuals exist now also. They can claim genetic relation to Buddha. Typically 4 generations occur in 100 years and in 2500 years nearly 100 generations are complete. Other 'Gothra' chains may have run 100-200 generations from Vedic period if male lineage did continue unbroken. Do Y-chromosomes remain intact after, say 100 generations of unbroken male issues? Genetic mutations may or may not have changed some Y-chromosomes.

 

This appears to be a very interesting field of research for future to see if persons of same 'Gothra' in the present generations have common and unique Y-chromosomal features.

 

– Dr S.Balakrishna