Solution

Prohibited degree and sapinda relationship are two different concepts in Hindu law, but they may overlap each other. Prohibited degree refers to the degree of relationship between two individuals, where marriage between them is prohibited under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The Act lays down certain degrees of prohibited relationship such as parent, grandparent, sibling, etc. Sapinda relationship, on the other hand, refers to the blood relationship between two individuals. As per Hindu law, a person is said to be in the sapinda relationship with another if they are related to each other within five degrees of ascent (i.e. three generations above) through the father, and within three degrees of ascent (i.e. two generations above) through the mother. While prohibited degree is a legal concept related to marriage, sapinda relationship is a religious concept related to the performance of certain Hindu rituals. However, these two concepts may overlap in certain cases. For example, marriage between two individuals who are within the prohibited degrees of relationship is also considered a sapinda marriage. In such cases, the marriage may be void or voidable under the Hindu Marriage Act.