The ancient Aryan women were sold. The sale of daughters is
evidenced by the Arsha form of marriage. According to the technical terms used the father
of the boy gave Go-Mithuna and took the girl.
This is another way of saying that the girl was sold for a Go-Mithuna. Go-Mithuna means one cow and one bull
which was regarded as a reasonable price of a girl. Not only daughters were sold by their
fathers but wives also were sold by their husbands. The Harivamsha in its 79th Adhyaya
describes how a religious rite called Punyaka-Vrata should be the fee that should be
offered to the officiating priest. It says that the wives of Brahmins should be purchased
from their husbands and given to the officiating priest as his fee. It is quite obvious
from this that Brahmins freely sold their wives for a consideration.
That the ancient Aryans let their women on rent for
cohabitation to others is also a fact. In the Mahabharata there is an account of the life
of Madhavi in Adhyayas 103 to 123. According to this account Madhavi was the daughter of
King Yayati. Yayati made a gift of her to Galawa. Galva who was a Rishi as a fee to a
priest. Galva rented her
out to three kings in succession but to each for a period
necessary to beget a son on her. After the tenancy of the third king terminated Madhavi
was surrendered by Galva to his Guru Vishvamitra who made her his wife. Vishvamitra kept
her till he begot a son on her and gave her back to Galva. Galva returned her to her
father Yayati.
Polygamy and Polyandry were raging in the ancient Aryan
society. The fact is so well known that it is unnecessary to record cases which show its
existence. But what is probably not well known is the fact of promiscuity. Promiscuity in
matters of sex becomes quite apparent if one were only to examine the rules of Niyoga
which the Aryan name for a system under which a woman who is wedded can beget on herself a
progeny from another who is not her husband. This system resulted in a complete state of
promiscuity for it was uncontrolled. In the first place, there was no limit to the number
of Niyogas open to a woman. Madhuti had one Niyoga allowed to her. Ambika had one actual
Niyoga and another proposed. Saradandayani had three. Pandu allowed his wife Kunti four
Niyogas. Vyusistasva was permitted to have 7 and Vali is known to have allowed as many as
17 Niyogas, II on one and 6 on his second wife. Just as there was no limit to the number
of Niyogas so also there was no definition of cases in which Niyoga was permissible.
Niyoga took place in the lifetime of the husband and even in cases where the husband was
not overcome by any congenital incapacity to procreate. The initiative was probably taken
by the wife. The choice of a man was left to her. She was free to find out with whom she
would unite a Niyoga and how many times, if she chose the same man. The Niyogas were
another name for illicit intercourse between men and women which might last for one night
or twelve years or more with the husband a willing and a sleeping partner in this trade of
fornication.
These were the manners and morals of common men in the
ancient Aryan Society. What were the morals of the Brahmins? Truth to tell they were no
better men than those of the common men. The looseness of the morals among the Brahmins is
evidenced by many instances. But a few will suffice. The cases showing that the Brahmins
used to sell their wives has already been referred to. I will give other cases showing
looseness. The Utanka is a pupil of Veda (the Purohita of Janmejaya III). The wife of Veda
most calmly requests Utanka to take the place of her husband and 'approach ' her for the
sake of virtue. Another case that may be referred to in this connection is that of
Uddalaka's wife. She is free to go to other Brahmins either of her own free will, or in
response to invitations. Shwetketu is her son by one of her husband's pupils. These are
not mere instances of laxity or adultery. These are cases of recognized latitudes allowed
to Brahmin women. Jatila-Gautami' was a Brahmin woman and had 7 husbands who were Rishis.
The Mahabharata says that the wives of the citizens admire Draupadi in the company of her
five husbands and compare her to Jatila Gautami with her seven husbands. Mamata is the wife of Utathya. But Brahaspati the brother of Utathya had
free access to Mamata during the life time of Utathya. The only objection Mamata once
raises to him is to ask him to wait on account of her pregnancy but does not say that
approaches to her were either improper or unlawful.
Such immoralities were so common among the Brahmins that
Draupadi when she was called a cow by Duryodhana for her polyandry is said to have said
she was sorry that her husbands were not born as Brahmins.