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I'm a Kashmiri Pandit and my community has been expert in Vedas since centuries.
Many people has been disturbed by the depiction of Polygymy in Pratigya. We all know that it is illegal in India under Hindu Marriage Act. But is it illegal in Hinduism?
Hinduism promotes Monogamy and only allow Polygamy in certain conditions such as a wife not being able to beget children but even then adoption is recommended. In fact adoption is a very noble practice according to Hinduism. The prime examples of the adoption by childless couples in Hindu epics are Sita by Janak & Sunaina, Kunti by Kuntibhoj and his wife, Krishna by Yashodha & Nand.
Many versus in Vedas are against polygamy.
In Atharva Veda 7.38.4, wife says that "You should only be mine. You should not even discuss about other women."
Rig Veda 10.101.11 states that a man with two wives is pressed from both sides and weeps like a horse that neighs when pressed from both sides by spokes while driving a chariot.
Atharva Veda 3.18.2 prays that may a woman never face threat of another co-wife.
The only exception in which Hinduism allows a co-wife is if the present wife cannot conceive. But even then it is discouraged. For example in Ramayan, Raja Dashrath and Raja Janak were both childless. Raja Dashrath married two more wives just to beget children. Raja Janak chose to adopt. He adopted Sita. That is why Janak is more respected than Dashrath. The polygamy of Dashrath is considered to be the cause of trouble and grief that everyone faced. Ram is considered "Maryada Purushottam" or the "Ideal Man" because he re-established the Vedic norm of monogamy. Same was followed by all his brothers.
Lord Shiva is known as PatniVrat. It means a man devoted to his wife. Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati are both known as Ardhnarisvara. It stands for one body with other half being male and other half being female. As Shiva and Parvati are husband and wife, their form of Ardhnarisvar stands for equality inlcuding sexual equality between Husband and wife.
Another case, Polygamy was practiced by Hindu kings even if their previous wives had children. Therefore, in Mahabharta we see many Kings marrying more than once. But the marriages of these Kings were politically inclined and they are not considered ideal men anyways. Therefore, polygamy never really became popular in Hindu society and even when practiced was looked down upon.
So in conclusion,
Religiously, even though Shakti's wife cannot have childbirth, according to religion he still doesn't have any right to remarry because Kesar cannot conceive because of his own fault. So he loses his right to marry any woman as he is not fit to be a husband.
Legally, it is illegal in India for a Hindu man to have more than one wife.
Therefore, it was the duty of CVs to show that any man practicing Bigamy will be punished by Law.
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