प्राचीन भारत में शिक्षा (डॉ. ए.एस. अल्तेकर - गुरुकुल एवं बौद्ध विहार शिक्षण इतिहास)

216 EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [Ch.
period however permit the postponement of a girl's
marriage to the age of 16 or 17 in case a suitable
match could not be arranged.¹ Manu, though in favour
of a marriage at 12 in normal circumstances, was
prepared to contemplate the possibility of a girl
remaining unmarried to the end of her life, if no
suitable bridegroom could be found.² Later writers,
however, of this period like Yājñavalkya,³ Saṁvarta⁴
and Yama,⁵ most vehemently condemn the guardian
who fails to marry a girl before the attainment of the
puberty. This condemnation had the natural effect ;
from Alberuni we learn that in the 11th century
Hindus used to marry at an early age, and that a
Brahmana was never allowed to marry a girl above
the age of 12.⁶ Many marriages must have taken
place much earlier, for the Smṛitis written at the end
of this period begin to glorify the merits of a girl's
marriage at the age of 7, 8, or 9.⁷ When it was
regarded as an ideal thing to celebrate a girl's marriage
at so young an age, female education could hardly
prosper.
Female Education in cultured Families :—
Though in society as a whole female education received

1. E. g., Va. Dh. S , कुमारी ऋतुमती त्रीणि वर्षाण्युपासीत ।
   ऊर्ध्वं त्रिभ्यो वर्षेभ्यः पतिं विन्देत्तुल्यम् । XVII. 59
   See also Vishṇu, 24, 41.
2. काममामरणात्तिष्ठेद्गृहे कन्यर्तुमत्यपि ।
   न चैवैनां प्रयच्छेत्तु गुणहीनाय कर्हिचित् ॥ IX, 89.
3. अप्रयच्छन्समाप्नोति भ्रूणहत्यां ऋतौ ऋतौ । I, 64.
4. I, 67. 5. I, 22.
5. Sachau, II, 131.
6. See Āśvalāyana, Saṁvarta, Kāśyapa etc. quoted in
   VMS., p. 767.