Types of Marriages
The four upper categories are:
• Brahmana (Brahma) - where the father of the bride invites a man learned in the Vedas and of good conduct, and gives his daughter in marriage to him without attachment or rewards
• (Daiva) - Where the daughter is groomed with ornaments and given to a priest or Guru who duly officiates at a sacrifice during the course of its performance of this specific rite.
• Rishis (Arsha) - when the father gives away his daughter after receiving a cow and a bull or other payments from the bridegroom.
• Prajapati - (Prajapatya) where the father gives away his daughter after blessing them thus "May both of you perform together your duties"
The four lower categories are:
• Asuras (Demons) - when the bridegroom receives a maiden after payment of some sort according to his own will. (Dowry?)
• Gandharva - the voluntary union of a maiden and her lover, which arises from desire and carnal interactions.
• Rakshasa - forcible abduction of a maiden from her home after her guardian have been slain or wounded or otherwise molested.
• Pisaka - when a man seduces a girl who is sleeping, intoxicated, mentally challenged or handicapped.