Putting rest the conflict about Hazrat Aisha’s age at her marriage to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) conflict. A similar controversy is brewing about Ma Sita, Lord Ram’s wife. In both cases, the rumors are wrong; both Ma-Sita and Ma-Aisha married as adults. There is strong evidence to prove that.
Here is info about Ma-Sita – https://centerforpluralism.com/age-of-sri-ram-and-devi-sita-marriage/
Info about Ma-Aisha is being compiled = https://centerforpluralism.com/age-of-hazrat-aisha-at-her-wedding/
The article below is shared by Dr. Pandit Sharma, a trusted friend from India
Did Shree Ram marry 6-year-old Mata Sita? There are hundreds of articles and comments circulating nowadays that Sita Mata was 6 years old at the time of marriage. I will prove it wrong
When Bhagwan Ram and Lakshman Ji met king Janak he used the word “समुपस्थितयौवनौ” for them, which means both of them had reached their youth. 1/50/18
When Janaka tells about Sita Mata he says on knowing that my daughter has grown up to suitable marriageable age(Growing, The word used is वर्धमानां). Many kings arrived with the desire to marry her. But they all failed to fulfill the condition of Shivdhanusha.
When Mata Sita tells Anusuya about herself she says. When I reached marriageable age my father became very worried about me. The words used are (पति संयोग सुलभम्) meaning age suitable to have Union with husband. This can NEVER be used for a 6-year-old.
According to Ayurveda, a male reaches youth at 25 years of age and a female at 16 years of age. And that’s marriageable age Sushruta Samhita, sutrasthana 35, 10-
Sita Mata reached marriageable age and after that many kings came and failed and King Janak was very worried about her marriage, so according to this age of Mata Sita is inferred to be 18- 19 years.
But where this 6 years one come from? – Let’s see
उषित्वा द्वादश समा इक्ष्वाकूणां निवेशने भुञ्जाना मानुषान् भोगान् सर्वकामसमृद्धिनी । मम भर्त्ता महातेजा वयसा पञ्चविंशक: अष्टादश हि वर्षाणि मम जन्मनि गण्यते । These 2 shlokas are from Aranya Kanda here Sita mata says, I lived in Ayodhya for 12 years and….
When we left I was 18 years of age and my husband was 25. This is from where 6 years of age is derived. But there is a problem here. When Shri Ram was leaving Ayodhya his mother said – “You are 17 years old” (2/20/45) So was he 25 or 17 while leaving?
When king Dashrath was telling Rishi Vishwamitra about Shree Ram he says “My son is not even 16 years old”(between 15 and 16) So 16 years old Ram went with Rishi to his Ashram, learned vidya, went to Mithila, married, and returned lived for 12 years in Ayodhya and his age was 17?
Here we have a clear contradiction in ages, this can be resolved simply, the age of Dvijas is calculated from the time of their thread ceremony too. (Second birth). So 17 years mentioned there while leaving Ayodhya is actually the years passed after his. thread ceremony.
If we take his age as 25 years while leaving then it contradicts other with the age of Bal Kanda because then he would be below13 and not just below 16 as mentioned in Bal Kanda Hence the shloka of Aryana Kanda where the age of Sri Ram is said as 25 years while leaving is later interpolation.
Some people don’t understand Sanskrit and depend on English translations, this leads to misconceptions. It’s written there in Sushruta Samhita- At age of 25, a man and age of 16 a woman is fully developed ( That’s what युवावस्था is).
The word used was समुपस्थितयौवनौ meaning he had reached Youth hence he was about 25 years old at the time of marriage.
Manusmiriti 4/1 चतुर्थं आयुषो भागं उषित्वाद्यं गुरौ द्विजाः ।द्वितीयं आयुषो भागं कृतदारो गृहे वसेत् ।।4/1 It says a person should marry in the second stage of life after (1/4 th of age) that age is 25 years because Vedas take age as 100 years. (जीवेत शरदः शतम् ,आयुष्टे शरदः शतम्)
Upnayan of Kshatriya is done at 11 years of age गर्भाष्टमेऽब्दे कुर्वीत ब्राह्मणस्योपनायनम् ।गर्भादेकादशे राज्ञो गर्भात्तु द्वादशे विशः ।2/36
As we say Vedas are source of All Dharma- तमस्मेरा युवतयो युवानं मर्मृज्यमानाः परि यन्त्यापः । स शुक्रेभिः शिक्वभी रेवदस्मे दीदायानिध्मो घृतनिर्णिगप्सु.. Rigveda 2/35/4 It says a Woman In Youth Marries a Man in his youth No child marriages in Hinduism
कियती योषा मर्यतो वधूयोः परिप्रीता पन्यसा वार्येण । भद्रा वधूर्भवति यत्सुपेशाः स्वयं सा मित्रं वनुते जने चित्॥१२॥ – ऋग्वेदः 10/27/12 It says a woman herself chooses her Husband. (A young woman chooses Young Husband ref prev.)
This Evidence is enough to prove there was no Child marriage in Hinduism and Mata Sita was more than 16 when she married.
One more thing, someone may wonder whether Vedas were strictly followed at that time. Yes, they were followed. Sri Ram himself says that – when he met Hanuman ji he says Hanuman ji definitely knows Rigveda, Yajurveda, and Samveda. Hence proved
Also, the bride was supposed to have compulsorily received initiation in their respective Dwija Dharma (Shiksha-Diksha) and then only marriage was done.
The below S.C also is big proof that Monogamy is considered the most ideal form of marriage in Hinduism.
The above screenshot to is clear-cut proof that pre-puberty marriages were never a part of Hinduism.
Author: Undisclosed but permission granted for posting.