Is polygamy allowed in Hindu religion?

September 23 2025, 8 min reading time

Is Hindu religion gov erning marriages? Is there a relationship between Hindu religion and Hindu marriages? Is polygamy allowed in Hindu religion? Know everything here.

Is polygamy allowed in Hindu religion?

Marriage has always been one of the most important aspects of Hindu culture, celebrated not just as a social arrangement but as a sacred union tied with rituals, promises and spiritual significance.

Over centuries, however, the idea of marriage within Hinduism has raised many questions, one of the most common being, is polygamy or having more than one wife at the same time, allowed in Hindu religion?

While some people recall mythological tales of kings and gods with multiple wives, others strongly believe Hinduism upholds the value of loyalty to one partner. The truth lies somewhere between history, tradition, and law.

To understand this better, we need to look at what ancient texts say, how society practiced marriage in earlier times and finally, how modern Indian law defines it today.

What is the stance of Hinduism on Polygamy?

When we look at Hinduism’s stance on polygamy, it is not black and white. The religion does not have a single commandment-like rule that outright bans or approves multiple marriages.

Instead, what we find in Hindu scriptures and traditions is a mixed picture shaped by time, culture, and social needs. For example, in ancient texts like the Manusmriti, monogamy was encouraged as the ideal but certain exceptions were allowed if the first wife was unable to bear children or fulfill household duties.

In the epics too, we see both sides as Lord Rama is upheld as the perfect husband devoted to one wife, while Lord Krishna and some kings in the Mahabharata had multiple wives.

So, while Hinduism acknowledged polygamy, it was never presented as the spiritual or moral ideal as it was more of a social practice tied to power, alliances or lineage.

Over time, the emphasis in Hindu thought shifted strongly toward monogamy as the higher path of dharma. Marriage came to be viewed less as a matter of social convenience and more as a sacred bond of loyalty, fidelity and spiritual companionship between two individuals.

The stories of devoted couples like Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati or Lord Rama and Goddess Sita reinforced the cultural value of one man and one woman sharing a lifelong partnership.

By the medieval and modern periods, Hindu society largely considered monogamy the norm, even though traces of polygamy persisted among royalty or the elite. Today, when people ask what Hinduism “allows,” the most honest answer is that while polygamy was never strictly forbidden in the scriptures, the religion’s moral and spiritual ideals consistently lean toward monogamy as the truest reflection of marital dharma.

What do ancient texts like Dharmasastras talk about Polygamy?

When we look into the Dharmashastras, which are ancient Hindu legal and ethical texts, we see that they did not take a single, rigid stand on polygamy.

For the most part, they encouraged monogamy and regarded it as the preferred way of life, especially for those who wished to lead a righteous household.

However, the texts also left room for exceptions. For example, the Manusmriti, one of the most influential Dharmashastras suggests that if a wife was unable to bear children, was chronically ill or was otherwise unable to fulfill certain domestic duties, the husband might be permitted to take another wife.

Importantly, this was not presented as a free license to marry multiple women for pleasure or prestige, but rather as a practical allowance under specific circumstances, usually tied to the continuity of family lineage and household stability, which were seen as central to dharma.

At the same time, these texts show us how society was shaped by its time. In a largely patriarchal setting, men were given more leeway when it came to marriage, while women were bound to stricter expectations of fidelity and devotion.

Yet, even with these allowances, polygamy was not described as the ideal. The ideal husband, according to many Dharmashastric teachings, was one who treated his wife with respect, shared a life of mutual duties and upheld harmony within the household.

The fact that exceptions were written down tells us that polygamy was not the everyday norm but more of a regulated exception. In other words, while the Dharmashastras acknowledged the practice of polygamy, they did not glorify it as placing monogamy on a higher pedestal as the model of moral and spiritual living.

Why is Monogamy considered as the spiritual goal in Hinduism?

In Hinduism, marriage is not seen as just a social arrangement but as a sacred union where two souls come together to walk the path of dharma (righteousness), artha (prosperity), kama (desires), and ultimately moksha (liberation).

Monogamy is considered the spiritual goal because it allows husband and wife to focus on each other with complete dedication, loyalty and trust. When two individuals share their lives exclusively with one another, they create a stable environment for spiritual growth and harmony.

Another reason monogamy is spiritually significant in Hinduism is that it symbolizes oneness and unity, which are central themes of the religion. Just as the soul seeks union with the divine, marriage mirrors this by binding two individuals into one inseparable partnership.

The energy, love and devotion shared between husband and wife are believed to create positive vibrations that extend not just to the family but to society as a whole.

A relationship rooted in exclusivity teaches virtues like patience, sacrifice, and faithfulness, which are seen as stepping stones toward higher spiritual consciousness.

In this way, Hinduism upholds monogamy as not merely a social custom but as the purest form of companionship that reflects the deeper spiritual journey of human life.

What is the modern reality related to Polygamy?

In today’s world, the reality of polygamy looks very different from what it once was in ancient or medieval times. For Hindus in India, polygamy is no longer just discouraged as it is outright illegal under the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955.

This means that a Hindu man cannot legally marry another woman while his first wife is alive and the marriage has not been dissolved by divorce. If he does, the second marriage is considered void from the very beginning and he can even face criminal charges for bigamy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

This strict legal framework has made polygamy practically non-existent among Hindus in the formal sense. While rare instances of secret or second marriages still come to light, they usually result in legal disputes, social stigma and broken families rather than acceptance.

On a cultural level, the modern Hindu society also largely views marriage as a lifelong partnership between two individuals rather than a man’s privilege to have multiple wives. Urbanization, women’s education and growing awareness of gender equality have further weakened any social tolerance for polygamy.

Today, most Hindus aspire to the ideal of a committed, monogamous relationship, seeing it as not only a legal requirement but also a moral and emotional foundation for family life.

What about those people who still practice Polygamy?

While you might occasionally hear of small, isolated communities or certain sects where polygamous arrangements persist, it is crucial to understand that this is not a religious practice sanctioned or endorsed by mainstream Hinduism.

These rare instances are not a reflection of scriptural adherence but are instead typically one of two things as either a continuation of outdated tribal or regional customs that pre-date or operate entirely outside the framework of orthodox Hindu law or a straightforward violation of the modern legal system, plain and simple.

In both cases, these pockets are considered social anomalies as vestiges of old traditions or outright illegal acts and they should never be mistaken for a religious endorsement or a recognized part of contemporary Hindu practice.

Historically, while ancient legal texts acknowledged it under specific conditions, such as for producing an heir, it was never considered the spiritual or social ideal. Philosophically, the core of the faith has always celebrated monogamy as the sacred, dharma-based union between two souls, a concept embodied by the ideal of the Sahadharmini or spiritual equal.

Therefore, this journey is a fascinating example of a faith evolving with time, demonstrating how an ancient tradition can hold onto its profound spiritual core while consciously shedding outdated social practices through reform, affirming that for a Hindu today, marriage is and was always meant to be, a partnership of two.

Written by: Nikita, Article and Content Writer, Editor, Strategist at Rudraksha Hub

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