The term Svayaṃvara is derived from Sanskrit, where it is composed of two parts: "svayam" (स्वयम्) meaning "self" and "vara" (वर) meaning "choice" or "desire." Therefore, … See more

The origins of the Svayaṃvara are somewhat ambiguous, with scholars tracing the practice back to the early Vedic period (c. 1500–1100 BCE). Historian Hanns-Peter Schmidt suggests that its origins may lie in ancient Indic customs with parallels in See more

Scholars tend to classify the self-choice ceremony in the Hindu literature into two broad categories:
• Svayaṃvara that provided the princess the freedom to choose her suitor from a host of assembled suitors up to her own liking with the … See more

The Ṛg Veda, being one of the oldest and most enigmatic texts in Indian literature, provides limited direct evidence for Svayaṃvara. Some scholars, such as Hanns-Peter … See more

In contrast to the Mahābhārata, Svayaṃvara in the Rāmāyaṇa is less frequent, with the term appearing six times in the entire epic four in Ayodhyākāṇḍa, and one each in the Bālakāṇḍa and the Yuddhakāṇḍa. The Rāmāyaṇa emphasizes the … See more

Svayamvara was conducted after a royal girl reached puberty, or attained maidenhood. In Sanskrit literature, the svayamvara follows a highly structured sequence, as outlined by Linguist Stephanie Jamison:
1. See more

The Mahābhārata, with its extensive narrative scope, features numerous instances of Svayaṃvara, predominantly associated with female protagonists of noble lineage. Svayaṃvara appears approximately 23 times in the Ādiparvan (the first book of … See more