Child Marriage

Worst verses: BS IV.1.11 to 14, GD 18.21 to 23, Sita (6) & Rama (13 or 15): SkP 3.2.30.8 to 9, Aranya Kanda 47.10 and Sundara Kanda 33.17-18

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Child Marriage

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Vedas

Bhagavad Gita

Dharmashastras

Baudhayana sutra

BS IV.1.11 to 14

Source: hinduwebsite.com

Let him give his daughter, while she still goes naked, to a man who has not broken the vow of chastity and who possesses good qualities, or even to one destitute of good qualities; let him not keep (the maiden) in (his house) after she has reached the age of puberty.
He who does not give away a marriageable daughter during three years doubtlessly contracts a guilt equal to (that of) destroying an embryo.
Such will be the case if anybody asks her in marriage, and also if nobody demands her. Manu has declared that at each appearance of the menses (the father incurs the guilt of) a mortal sin.
Three years let a marriageable damsel wait for the order of her father. But after (that) time let her choose for herself in the fourth year a husband (of) equal (rank). If no man (of) equal (rank) be found, she may take even one destitute of good qualities. hinduwebsite.com

Gautama Dharmasutra

GD 18.21 to 23

Source: hinduwebsite.com

A girl should be given in marriage before (she attains the age of) puberty.
He who neglects it, commits sin.
Some (declare, that a girl shall be given in marriage) before she wears clothes. hinduwebsite.com

Ramayana

Ramayana Aranya Kanda sarga 47 shloka 10

मम भर्तामहातेजा वयसा पञ्चविंशकः।।3.47.10।।
अष्टादश हि वर्षाणि मम जन्मनि गण्यते।

sanskritdocuments.org: My great-resplendent husband was of twenty-five years of age at that time, and to me eighteen years are reckoned up from my birth.

IITK: My husband who was very bold was twentyfive years and I had completed eighteen years since my birth.

Comment: These are their ages at the start of their exile. In Sundara Kanda 33.17-18 Sita says that they lived 12 years in the palace after marriage and before exile. So their ages at marriage were 25-12=13 and 18-12=6. This is similar to the values in SkP 3.2.30.8 to 9. The only difference is that Rama’s age at marriage is 13 in Ramayana and 15 in Skanda Purana. Since Ramayana is more popular I assume people will believe in the 13 number. But both agree on Sita’s age at marriage as 6. Coincidentally Aisha’s age at marriage was also 6.

Ramayana Sundara Kanda sarga 33 shloka 17 to 18

समा द्वादश तत्राहं राघवस्य निवेशने।।5.33.17।।
भुञ्जाना मानुषान्भोगान्सर्वकामसमृद्धिनी।

sanskritdocuments.org: I stayed in Rama’s house there for twelve years, enjoying the worldly pleasures belonging to human kind and fulfilling all my desires.

IITK: I enjoyed worldly pleasures in abundance for twelve years at Rama’s abode.

तत्र त्रयोदशे वर्षे राज्येनेक्ष्वाकुनन्दनम्।।5.33.18।।
अभिषेचयितुं राजा सोपाध्यायः प्रचक्रमे।

sanskritdocuments.org: Then in the thirteenth year king Dasaratha along with the royal preceptor arranged to coronate Rama, delight of the Ikshvaku family, in the kingdom.

IITK: Thereafter, in the thirteenth year, King Dasaratha along with his preceptors started to perform anointment of the kingdom to Rama, a celebrity of Ikshvaku dynasty.

Mahabharata

Upanishads

Puranas

Skanda Purana

SkP 3.2.30.8 to 9

wisdomlib.org: 8-9. The bow of Īśvara that was kept in the abode of Janaka, was broken. In his fifteenth year, O king, Rāma married the six-year old beautiful daughter of the king of Mithilā, Sītā who was not born of a womb. On getting Sītā, Rāghava became contented and happy.