He was married three times, at age nine, ten, and twenty-one years. His first wife died soon after the marriage, another died in 1826 and one outlived him. There is no evidence that he looked to his wife for companionship; in fact, there were rumors that his adopted son, Rajaram, was the child of his Muslim mistress.

After death of his father he argued with his mother and left home with his wife & children. His mother Tarini devi encouraged a nephew to challenge Rammohan's right to ancestral property, the matter went to the court. The suit began in 1817. Among the court records is an unused document showing that Rammohan was prepared to argue that his mother hated him, desired his worldly ruin, and would even "Welcome his death".

Rammohan had developed a set of questions to be asked of his mother if she were called as a witness. He planned to ask if she was so angry at him for refusing to worship her idols that she would lie under oath to destroy him. Rammohan admitted that he admired his mother's strength & independence yet was publicly willing to humiliate her. Examined from this perspective Rammohan Roy seems less than a ideal champion of women rights.

Unfortunately Tarini Devi left no record of her side of the story. Was her quarrel with her son over religion? Or property? Or was she simply a cantankerous old woman who would not tolerate her son's disobedience? She died in 1822.