According to the Dharmashastras (such as the Manusmriti), how many forms of marriage were recognised in ancient India?

The Dharmashastras, including the Manusmriti, recognised eight forms of marriage.

The eight forms of marriage:

• "Brahma": the father gives his daughter, adorned with ornaments, to a learned man of good character, whom he invites himself; considered the best form.
• "Daiva": the daughter is given to a priest who performs a sacrifice, as part of the sacrificial fee.
• "Arsha": the bridegroom gives a cow and a bull (or a pair of cattle) to the bride's father.
• "Prajapatya": the father gives the daughter with the blessing that the couple should perform their duties together.
• "Asura": the bridegroom gives wealth to the bride's family and to the bride; it was like marriage by purchase.
• "Gandharva": marriage by the mutual consent of the man and woman, based on love.
• "Rakshasa": marriage by abduction of the bride by force, often after fighting with her family.
• "Paishacha": the lowest form, in which a man forcibly takes a woman who is asleep, drunk or unconscious; it was condemned.

How they were classified:

• The first four forms (Brahma, Daiva, Arsha, Prajapatya) were considered "approved" (prashasta) forms, suitable especially for Brahmanas.
• The last four were considered "disapproved" (aprashasta), though some were allowed for particular varnas; for example, Gandharva and Rakshasa were considered acceptable for Kshatriyas by some texts.

Examples from literature:

The "Swayamvara", in which a woman chose her husband from among suitors, is described in the epics.

Other rules of marriage:

• "Exogamy": marrying outside one's own gotra (clan).
• "Endogamy": marrying within one's own varna or group.
• "Anuloma": marriage of a man of a higher varna with a woman of a lower varna.
• "Pratiloma": marriage of a woman of a higher varna with a man of a lower varna; this was strongly disapproved.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Four is the number of approved forms.
• ✗Six and ten are not the number of forms of marriage in the Dharmashastras.