Abducting a Woman for Love. Justified? Hindu Scriptures say Yes, Modern law say its a Crime

The Laws of Manu justify abduction of a woman for marriage. The laws of Manu have been the cornerstone of Hindu jurisprudence for close to 4000 years. When Lord Krishna abducted his lady love the Princess Rukimini can be treated as the stepping stone for such acts for Hindu lovers. A lover could abduct his love or the woman he desired and marry her and then take her to the bridal bed. The rights of the woman did not matter, but perhaps in a society dominated by this ethos, women accepted abduction as part of ‘Dharma’. During abduction a warrior had sometimes to fight with the kin of the princess and he could carry out the abduction, only if he won the battle.

The great warrior Bhishma also abducted 3 princesses from a swayamvara and in the process defeated all the warriors who had come for the swayamvara. Thus marriage by abduction was a legal right and recognized in the Laws of Manu as an act as per ‘Dharma’. The arrival of the English changed all this and abduction from 1861 became a crime when the Indian Penal Code was passed. Now if you were to abduct anyone , it can land the man to a still jail term for 7 years. Al the same its fun to read of abductions and love and sex in olden days.

Come to think in case a man abducts a woman, I wonder what are teh thoughts of a woman who knows that the man loves her ? I can't hazard a guess.