page_title: Oath
section_title: Hindu tradition
hierarchical_section_title: Oath / Historical development as a legal concept / Hindu tradition
caption_attribution_description: English: Bhishma taking oath, on abdicating his right to the throne, in order to get the fisher girl married to his father Shantanu.മലയാളം: പിതാവായ ശന്തനുവിന് മത്സ്യഗന്ധിയെ വിവാഹം ചെയ്യുന്നതിനായി, തനിക്ക് രാജ്യാധികാരം വേണ്ടന്നു ഭീഷ്മർ ശപഥം ചെയ്യുന്നു.
context_page_description: Traditionally an oath is either a statement of fact or a promise with wording relating to something considered sacred as a sign of verity. A common legal substitute for those who conscientiously object to making sacred oaths is to give an affirmation instead. Nowadays, even when there is no notion of sanctity involved, certain promises said out loud in ceremonial or juridical purpose are referred to as oaths. "To swear" is a verb used to describe the taking of an oath, to making a solemn vow.
context_section_description: In Hindu epics, like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, oaths, called pratigya, are taken seriously. It is mentioned that people would give up their lives, but not break a vow. Due to this, King Dasharatha took an oath for his Queen Kaikeyi (on her maid, Manthara's insistence) and thus had to exile his favorite son, Lord Rama along with his wife Devi Sita and brother Lakshmana for fourteen years in the forest.
  In the Mahabharata, Devrata took an oath of celibacy so that Satyavati's father would marry her to Devrata's father, King Shantanu. He also took an oath to not rule the kingdom and remain loyal to the king, who would be a descendant of Satyavati. Thus, Devarata got the name Bhishma, which means someone, who has taken a terrible oath. Many others also took oaths that they fulfilled.
caption: Devarata taking his bhishama pratigya
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