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Non-virgin women are excluded from marital rites with its Agni-hotra, etc.

pāṇigrahaṇikā mantrāḥ kanyāsveva pratiṣṭhitāḥ |
nākanyāsu kva cinnṝṇāṃ luptadharmakriyā hi tāḥ || 226 ||
The marriage-ritual texts are applicable to virgins only, and nowhere among men, to non-virgins; and this because these latter are excluded from religious acts.—(Manusmṛiti-8.226)

i.e, the sacred rituals of marriage with its post marital Agni-hotra and other rites yields to naught with a non-virgin woman. Devatas seem to not accept/validate rituals carried out with them.

My question is are there any expiation involved for a non-virgin woman in order to reclaim the right of marital rituals? If yes, what's the procedure?

P.S: A non-virgin woman is actually already married with a man she sexually engaged with under gandharva-vivāha. Therefore, the question can probably be reframed as, Is there atonement for a married woman for marrying another man with rights of post-marital rituals provided she isn't living with her husband anymore?

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  • Related Remarriage in Sanātana Dharma
    – The Destroyer ♦
    May 23, 2021 at 9:11
  • You know there are multiple forms of marriage and some don't have the ritual. Also being "banned" from a ritual doesn't mean you can't do it, it just does not work. An idea that is explicitly said here: wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/…
    – Aupakarana Abhibhaa
    May 23, 2021 at 9:29
  • I presume the marriage forms that require this ritual are excluded for her, but she can get married using other methods if she want to get married to someone.
    – Aupakarana Abhibhaa
    May 23, 2021 at 9:35
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    If you are going to follow the Manu Smriti, you need to follow ALL the rules, you can't pick and choose which you want to follow. See the rules for males and make sure you are following all of them all before determining what the rules are for others.
    – Swami Vishwananda
    May 24, 2021 at 5:23
  • Shouldn't gandharva-vivāh be gāndharva-vivāh?
    – Aupakarana Abhibhaa
    May 24, 2021 at 14:31

1 Answer 1

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They can still be married by Gāndharva marriage, which is lawful for literally everyone (and I don't think it needs the rites). Obviously, it is better if the woman has her father's permission.

P.S. The commentary says ‘It has sexual intercourse for its end,’ is a depreciation, however, this could just be to differentiate it from couples who are together for diplomacy, finances, or tactics for workplace politics.

https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/manusmriti-with-the-commentary-of-medhatithi/d/doc199794.html
https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/manusmriti-with-the-commentary-of-medhatithi/d/doc199796.html https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/manusmriti-with-the-commentary-of-medhatithi/d/doc199807.html

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  • Thanks. But it's not mere about marriage ritual but also about post marital rituals, like Agnihotra, homam, etc. where presence of wife is mandatory. Such rituals don't yield fruits upon marrying a non-virgin woman... Therefore, I'm asking if there could be an atonement for those women after which devatas could accept rituals with them.
    – ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ
    May 23, 2021 at 11:39
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    @ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ I don't think so.
    – Aupakarana Abhibhaa
    May 23, 2021 at 11:41
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    Please stop. It is clearly said to be a corrupted, blameworthy and inferior form which is not in line with Vedas. wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/… . wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/… . It is 6th in the order of most sacred to least sacred marriage and is called inappropriate marriage. No society should endorse this or has endorsed this in Hindu history.
    – R. Kaushik
    May 23, 2021 at 18:47
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    @R.Kaushik Humans are clearly inferior in body to pretty much every race in Hinduism. So, I guess no man is worthy of marrying a man's daughter. Se what happens when you have no sense of scale.
    – Aupakarana Abhibhaa
    May 24, 2021 at 13:55
  • "which is lawful for literally everyone" - it is only lawful for Kshatriyas.
    – mar
    Jun 11, 2021 at 0:08

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