Incest Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Hindu=== [[Rigveda]] regards incest to be "evil".<ref>{{cite book |last=O'Flaherty |first=Wendy Doniger |title=The Origins of Evil in Hindu Mythology |page=7 |publisher=University of California Press}}</ref> [[Hinduism]] speaks of incest in abhorrent terms. Hindus believe there are both [[karmic]] and practical bad effects of incest and thus practice strict rules of both [[endogamy]] and [[exogamy]] in relation to the family tree (''[[gotra]]'') or bloodline (''[[Pravaras|Pravara]]''). Marriage within the ''gotra'' (''swagotra'' marriage) is banned under the rule of exogamy in the traditional matrimonial system.<ref>"There can be no matrimony between the sects of Gehlawat and Kadiyan as they have a 'brotherhood' akin to consanguinity."[http://www.indianexpress.com/news/haryana-panchayat-takes-on-govt-over-samegotra-marriage/491548/ "Haryana panchayat takes on govt over same-gotra marriage"]. ''Indian Express''. 20 July 2009</ref> People within the ''gotra'' are regarded as kin, and marrying such a person would be thought of as incest. Marriage with paternal cousins (a form of [[Parallel and cross cousins|parallel-cousin]] relationship) is strictly prohibited. Traditional Hindu laws of marriage suggest that, between a man and a woman who are about to marry, there should be no common ancestor (gotra) between the groom and the bride for up to 6 generations on the fathers' side of the groom and bride and up to 4 generations on the mothers' side of the groom and bride. Some orthodox Hindus might extend this limit to up to 8 generations on the father's side and 6 generations on the mother's side (for both the bride and groom). Although generally marriages between persons having the same ''gotra'' are frowned upon,<ref>''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z'', James G. Lochtefeld, Rosen Publishing Group, 2002; p. 526.</ref> how this is defined may vary regionally. Depending on culture and [[Indian caste system|caste]] of the population in the region, marriage may be restricted up to seven generations of ''gotra'' of father, mother, and grandmother. In a few rural areas, marriage is banned within the same local community.<ref>"In India these rules are reproduced in the form of that one must not marry within the Gotra, but not without the caste" [http://www.sanathanadharma.com/samskaras/marriage/mar3.htm#Limitations "Limitations of Marriage"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101103062452/http://www.sanathanadharma.com/samskaras/marriage/mar3.htm |date=3 November 2010 }}. sanathanadharma.com</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page