Why are people so shocked by polygamy?

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Janaki

@RamKiSeeta

Achiever

+ 6

Posted: 12 years ago

I find it a bit surprising how many people in this forum are so appalled and shocked by the concept of polygamy in the Mahabharat. It's wrong today, but back in Dwapar Yuga, it was completely normal. In fact, from Satya Yuga onwards it was a common practice, so just because the Pandavas and Krishna had multiple wives does not make them negative characters.

I think a huge problem with so many modern viewers is that they're judging the characters based on today's principles, which is completely wrong. One needs to understand and accept the rules and restrictions of the Dwapar Yuga before making judgments. It's what you do with any historicalbook.

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Srishti

@srishtisingh

Voyager

Posted: 12 years ago

me too not able to understand how polygamy which was common at that time makes anybody bad.

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TINA

@...Tina...

Inactive

+ 3

Posted: 12 years ago

not so shocked with it..!!😆

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Janaki

@RamKiSeeta

Achiever

+ 6

Posted: 12 years ago

Originally posted by: samantha0111

I think you are biased. Polygamy in any era is wrong. We all say Akbar the great but then again when it came to his polygamous nature, nobody liked him. He kept harems and people hated him for it.

Polygamy shows a weak and somewhat sleazy character. If men or women today are polygamous then they are rejected ultimately for dating or marriage.

Its not a rule in any yug that one king must have 4 wives. They wanted to marry more women because they couldn't control themselves.

Polygamy is wrong for us today because that's how we've been raised to think. I am not justifying the practice. Even I am against it, but I am just saying that our mindset today should not apply to how we analyze any historical character. As per history, polygamy was an accepted practice. So although we had characters like Lord Ram, who preached the virtues of monogamy, it does not make Lord Krishna who had many wives any less.

For example, in our society today in many countries, abortion is legal. Women can get an abortion if they do not want to have their child. What if years later in the future, abortion becomes illegal? Then should people in the future judge us wrongly saying that women in the 21st century who had abortions were immoral? That wouldn't be fair because in our society currently, abortion is legal, and it's our current societal values that matter more than future societal values.