🙏 Traditional view
Marriage is sacred and for life, so divorce is a last resort and a sign that something has gone wrong. Staying together and keeping the family whole is part of dharma.
Hindu Beliefs about Life and Death » Divorce and Remarriage: Hindu Views
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 1, 2.6 (Hinduism)
- Why Hindus see marriage as a lifelong sacred bond, so divorce is discouraged
- The law on divorce for Hindus in India and why many Hindus accept divorce today
- Hindu attitudes to remarriage, including the remarriage of widows
- How families try to mend a marriage, and what marriage breakdown means for individuals, the community and society
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Unlock This CourseMarriage as a lifelong bond
The lesson Divorce, Remarriage and Marriage Breakdown explained what divorce and remarriage are, the law and non-religious views. The lesson Marriage in Hindu Communities showed that many Hindus see marriage as a samskara, a sacred step into the householder stage. This lesson asks what that means when a marriage goes wrong.
Traditionally, Hindus see marriage as a lifelong sacred bond. A husband and wife promise to keep dharma together for the rest of their lives, and the marriage also joins two families. Because of this, divorce is discouraged. In traditional Hindu communities it was rare, and a couple with problems were expected to work at them rather than part.
Key terms:
- Hindu Marriage Act 1955: the law in India that sets out marriage and divorce for Hindus.
- Widow remarriage: a woman whose husband has died marrying again.
Divorce: law and attitudes
Divorce is legal for Hindus in India. The Hindu Marriage Act 1955 allows a court to end a marriage on certain grounds. These include cruelty. The law means that a person in an unhappy or unsafe marriage is not trapped.
💬 Accepting view
Many Hindus today accept divorce, especially where there is cruelty. They point to ahimsa (non-harm): no one should have to suffer harm in the name of marriage.
So Hindus do not all agree. A Hindu who values tradition may see divorce as a failure of duty. Another Hindu may say that protecting someone from cruelty matters more than keeping a marriage on paper. Attitudes are also changing, particularly in cities and among Hindus living outside India.
Remarriage
Hindu attitudes to remarriage have changed over time. In the past, many Hindu communities expected a widow not to marry again. Social reformers argued that this was unfair and cruel to women. A law, the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act of 1856, made it legal for Hindu widows to marry again.
Today, many Hindus accept that a widow may remarry, and also that a widower may. Some families, especially traditional ones, may still feel uncomfortable about it. For divorced people, remarriage is accepted by many Hindus, but others see it as less ideal because the first marriage was meant to be for life. Again, you should give both views.
The role of the family
Because marriage joins two families, Hindu families often play a big part when a marriage is in trouble. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles may talk to the couple, listen to each side and urge them to be patient and forgive. Some families ask an elder or a respected person in the community to help. The aim is to mend the marriage before a divorce is considered.
This can be helpful, because the couple get support and advice from people who know them well. It can also be a problem if a family puts pressure on a person to stay in a marriage where they are being hurt. Many Hindus agree that the family should never excuse cruelty.
Effects of marriage breakdown
😔 Individuals
Husband, wife and children can feel hurt, lonely or ashamed. Some feel they have failed in their duty. Children may be unsettled.
🏡 The Hindu community
Two families are affected, not just two people. Relatives may take sides, and a divorced person may feel judged by others in the community.
🏢 Society
If marriages break down often, there is more pressure on families and on the courts. Some Hindus worry that family life, seen as the base of society, is weakened.
Worked example
Question: outline one Hindu attitude to divorce. Point: divorce is discouraged. Develop: marriage is a lifelong sacred bond, so a couple are expected to work at problems and the families try to mend the marriage first.
Common mistakes
- Saying that divorce is forbidden for all Hindus. It is discouraged, but it is legal in India and many Hindus accept it, especially where there is cruelty.
- Saying that every Hindu has the same view. Give a traditional view and a more accepting one.
- Writing only about the couple. Say what happens to the families, the community and society too.
- Re-teaching the general law or non-religious views from the earlier lesson. Keep the answer Hindu.
Exam-style question
(a) Identify three groups of people affected by the breakdown of a marriage. [3 marks]
(b) Choose one religion. Outline two teachings about divorce in this religion. [4 marks]
(c) Choose one religion. Explain why there are different attitudes to divorce in this religion. [6 marks]
(d) 'Divorce is never the right answer to marriage problems.' Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks]
Model answer
(a) 1. The husband and wife (1). 2. Children (1). 3. The wider family (1).
(b) Hinduism: marriage is a lifelong sacred bond (1), so divorce is discouraged and was traditionally rare (1). Families should try to mend the marriage (1), so relatives talk to the couple and urge them to be patient before divorce is considered (1).
(c) In Hinduism there are different attitudes to divorce because Hindus understand marriage in different ways. Traditional Hindus see marriage as a lifelong sacred samskara and part of dharma. This means that divorce is seen as a last resort, and the family should try to mend the marriage. Other Hindus put more weight on ahimsa. They say that no one should suffer cruelty in a marriage, so divorce is the right choice in such cases, and the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 makes it legal in India. Attitudes also vary because Hindu communities are changing, and Hindus in cities or outside India are often more accepting. There is no single authority that all Hindus follow, so views differ.
(d) Plan. For the statement: marriage is a lifelong sacred bond for many Hindus; divorce can harm children, hurt two families and weaken the community; families can often help a couple mend things if they are patient. Against: ahimsa means no one should have to put up with cruelty; Hindu law in India allows divorce on grounds such as cruelty; staying in an unhappy or unsafe marriage may harm everyone, including the children; many Hindus today accept divorce. A possible conclusion: 'never' is too strong. Hindus value marriage and would try to mend it first, but where there is cruelty, divorce protects people, which fits ahimsa. So divorce can be the right answer, but only after other options have been tried.
Exam tip
In part (c), do not just say that Hindus disagree. Explain why, by linking each view to a Hindu idea such as samskara, dharma or ahimsa.