Thread by @MisterSinghh

Is #widow #Remarriage allowed in Sanatana Dharma?

Vedas-Puranas-Smriti
Many people claim Hinduism is regressive and patriarchal, and that it does not allow widow Remarriage. That's wrong, let's see how.

या पूर्वं पतिं वित्त्वाऽथान्यं विन्दतेऽपरम् । पञ्चौदनं च तावजं ददातो न वि योषतः

- Atharva Veda (9.5.27)
A woman who marries another man after death of husband should do Panchaudana Yajna .....
This mantra clearly talks about remarriage of widow

समानलोको भवति पुनर्भुवापरः पतिः । योऽजं पञ्चौदनं दक्षिणाज्योतिषं ददाति

- Atharva Veda(9.5.28)
This mantra says the woman and new husband are of the same level as her previous husband.

कुह स्विद्दोषा कुह वस्तोरश्विना कुहाभिपित्वं करतः कुहोषतुः । को वां शयुत्रा विधवेव देवरं मर्यं न योषा कृणुते सधस्थ आ।। (Rigveda
10,40,2)

It talks about a widow choosing a second man.

I have to clarify one thing here, word used in mantra is "Devar" it DOES NOT mean brother of husband here, Nirukta (3/15) clearly says Devar means "Second Husband" in Vedas (in Vedic sanskrit)

Rigveda 10,85,40-41 Talks about 1st Husband being Soma dev, 2nd being Gandharva, 3rd being Agni dev and 4th being Manushya.
So even in devtas Remarriage exist.
So Vedas clearly allow Remarriage of widows

Let's see what smriti texts say-
नष्टे मृते प्रव्रजिते क्लीबे च पतिते पतौ ।
पञ्चस्वापत्सु नारीणां पतिरन्यो विधीयते।।

Parashara Smriti (4.30)
It says there are 5 cases when a woman can remarry.
Husband is dead, became Sanyasi, became impotent, fell from Dharma, or ran away.

Manusmriti 9.76 says -
प्रोषितो धर्मकार्यार्थं प्रतीक्ष्योऽष्टौ नरः समाः ।विद्यार्थं षड्यशोऽर्थं वा कामार्थं त्रींस्तु वत्सरान्
Women should wait for the different time periods (as mentioned for different purposes). After that, they can choose another man.

In Mahabharat Van Parva-
आस्थास्यति पुनर्भैमी दमयन्ती स्वयंवरम्
तत्र गच्छन्ति राजानो राजपुत्राश्च सर्वशः
तथा च गणितः कालः श्वोभूते स भविष्यति
यदि संभाविनीयं ते गच्छ शीघ्रमरिंदम
सूर्योदये द्वतीयं सा भर्तारं वरयिष्यति
न हि स ज्ञायते वीरो नलो जीवन्मृतोपि वा

As Nala had disappeared his wife Dayamanti was ready to choose a new husband(whatever the reason may be), but it shows that remarriage was acceptable at that time.