Dr Kumar Vishwas
Why do Indian marriages last, and why does the wedding vow matter?
The vow is made before witnesses
Marriages last because the witnesses to the vow matter greatly: the priest, the sacred fire, Ganga water, panchagavya and all the people present are witnesses. Beyond that, Ishwar, God, is a third who knows what only two people know.
Marriages last in our tradition because the witnessing is very important: the priest is a witness, the fire is a witness, the Ganga water is a witness.