Punarbhu
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Punarbhu literally means ‘a woman who has married again’.
Definition of Punarbhu[edit]
Remarriage of widows seems to have been permitted in the ancient days under certain conditions. Such a woman was known as ‘punarbhu’.
Classification of Punarbhu[edit]
A punarbhu was of three kinds:
- A maiden whose marriage was not consummated and whose husband died suddenly.
- A woman accused of adultery but returned to her parents who gave her in marriage to another man.
- A widow remarried to a close relative of her husband whether she was childless or not is not clear in this case.
Rules for Punarbhu as per Dharmaśāstras[edit]
A married woman was permitted to remarry by some dharmaśāstras under the following conditions:
- When a husband dies very early or is lost or unheard of for a long time.
- If he becomes a sanyāsin[1]
- If he is impotent or suffering from incurable diseases or a sinner.
Curtailments on Punarbhu[edit]
Though remarriage was perhaps permitted in the earliest age[2][3] during the later period, more stringent rules were imposed for the same. Some of the smṛtis even frowned upon the custom.[4][5] Insistence on chastity and the social implications like maidens not getting good husbands may be one of the reasons for the hardening of this stand.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore