Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच यन्मूलं सर्वधर्माणां प्रजनस्य गृहस्य च पितृदेवातिथीनां च तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said Tell me of that, O grandfather, which is the root of all duties, which is the root of kinsmen of home, of the departed manes and of guests.
भीष्म उवाच अयं हि सर्वधर्माणां धर्मश्चिन्त्यतमो मतः कीदृशाय प्रदेया स्यात्कन्येति वसुधाधिप
M. N. Dutt: I think this should be considered as the foremost of all duties. Tell me, however, O king, to what sort of a person should one give his daughter.
शीलवृत्ते समाज्ञाय विद्यां योनिं च कर्म च अद्भिरेव प्रदातव्या कन्या गुणवते वरे ब्राह्मणानां सतामेष धर्मो नित्यं युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: Having enquired into the conduct and nature of the person, his learning and acquirements, his birth, and his acts, good people should then confer their daughter upon accomplished bridegrooms.
आवाह्यमावहेदेवं यो दद्यादनुकूलतः शिष्टानां क्षत्रियाणां च धर्म एष सनातनः
AI Translation: Having invoked and invoked thus, he who would give in accordance with the favorable, This is the eternal dharma of the remaining Kshatriyas.
आत्माभिप्रेतमुत्सृज्य कन्याभिप्रेत एव यः अभिप्रेता च या यस्य तस्मै देया युधिष्ठिर गान्धर्वमिति तं धर्मं प्राहुर्धर्मविदो जनाः
M. N. Dutt: When the father of the girl, without consulting his wishes, confers his own daughter upon a person whom the daughter likes and who reciprocates the girl's sentiments, the form of marriage, O Yudhishthira, is called Gandharva by those versed in the Vedas.
धनेन बहुना क्रीत्वा संप्रलोभ्य च बान्धवान् असुराणां नृपैतं वै धर्ममाहुर्मनीषिणः
M. N. Dutt: The wise have declared, O king, to be the practice of the Asuras, viz., marrying a girl after buying her at a high cost and after gratifying the cupidity of her kinsmen.
हत्वा छित्त्वा च शीर्षाणि रुदतां रुदतीं गृहात् प्रसह्य हरणं तात राक्षसं धर्मलक्षणम्
M. N. Dutt: Killing and chopping off the heads of weeping kinsmen, the bridegroom sometimes forcibly takes away the girl he marries. Such marriage, O son, passes by the name of Rakshasa.
Supplementary Passages:
13.44.7 After 7, S ins.: *304 सुप्तां मत्तां प्रमत्तां वा रहो यत्रोपगच्छति स पापिष्ठो विवाहानां पैशाचः प्रथितोऽधमः
पञ्चानां तु त्रयो धर्म्या द्वावधर्म्यौ युधिष्ठिर पैशाच आसुरश्चैव न कर्तव्यौ कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: Of these five, (viz., the Brahma, the Kshatra, the Gandharva, the Asura, and the Rakshasa), three are righteous, O Yudhishthira, and two are unrighteous, The Paishacha and the Asura forms should, never be followed.
ब्राह्मः क्षात्रोऽथ गान्धर्व एते धर्म्या नरर्षभ पृथग्वा यदि वा मिश्राः कर्तव्या नात्र संशयः
M. N. Dutt: The Brahma, Kshatra, and Gandharva forms are righteous, O prince of men! Pure or mixed, these forms should forsooth be followed.
तिस्रो भार्या ब्राह्मणस्य द्वे भार्ये क्षत्रियस्य तु वैश्यः स्वजातिं विन्देत तास्वपत्यं समं भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana can take three wives. The Kshatriya can take two wives. The Vaishya should take a wife from only his own caste. The children born of these wives should all be considered as equal.
ब्राह्मणी तु भवेज्ज्येष्ठा क्षत्रिया क्षत्रियस्य तु रत्यर्थमपि शूद्रा स्यान्नेत्याहुरपरे जनाः
M. N. Dutt: Of the three wives of a Brahmana. She taken from his own caste should be considered as the foremost. Likewise, of the two wives permitted to the Kshatriya, she taken from his own caste should be considered as superior. Some say that persons belonging to the three higher castes may take, only for purposes of enjoyment, wives from the lowest or the Shudra caste. Others, however, forbid the practice.
अपत्यजन्म शूद्रायां न प्रशंसन्ति साधवः शूद्रायां जनयन्विप्रः प्रायश्चित्ती विधीयते
M. N. Dutt: The righteous condemn the practice of begetting children upon Shudra women. A Brahmana, by begetting children upon a Shudra women, becomes subject to the liability of performing an expiation.
Supplementary Passages:
13.44.12 After 12, D10 S ins.: *305 नातिबालां वहन्त्यन्ये अनित्यत्वात्प्रजार्थिनः वहन्ति कर्मिणस्तस्यामन्तःशुद्धिव्यपेक्षया अपरान्वयसंभूतां संस्वप्नादिविवर्जिताम् कामो यस्यां निषिद्धश्च केचिदिच्छन्ति चापदि
त्रिंशद्वर्षो दशवर्षां भार्यां विन्देत नग्निकाम् एकविंशतिवर्षो वा सप्तवर्षामवाप्नुयात्
M. N. Dutt: A person of thirty years of age should marry a girl of ten years of age wearing a single piece of cloth. Or, a person of one and twenty years of age should marry a girl of seven years of age.
यस्यास्तु न भवेद्भ्राता पिता वा भरतर्षभ नोपयच्छेत तां जातु पुत्रिकाधर्मिणी हि सा
M. N. Dutt: That girl who has no brother nor father should not be married, O chief of Bharata's race, For she may be intended for giving birth to the heir of her father.
त्रीणि वर्षाण्युदीक्षेत कन्या ऋतुमती सती चतुर्थे त्वथ संप्राप्ते स्वयं भर्तारमर्जयेत्
M. N. Dutt: After puberty, it in, the girl (if not married) should wait for three years. On the fourth year, she should look for a husband herself.
प्रजनो हीयते तस्या रतिश्च भरतर्षभ अतोऽन्यथा वर्तमाना भवेद्वाच्या प्रजापतेः
M. N. Dutt: The children of such a girl do not lose their respectability, nor does union with such a girl become disgraceful. If, instead of selecting a husband for herself, she acts otherwise, she gets the reproach of Prajapati herself.
असपिण्डा च या मातुरसगोत्रा च या पितुः इत्येतामनुगच्छेत तं धर्मं मनुरब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: One should marry that girl who is not a Sapinda of his mother or of the same family with his father. This is the usage which Manu has declared.
Supplementary Passages:
13.44.17 For 17cd, B5 subst.: *306 सा प्रशस्ता द्विजातीनां दारकर्मणि मैथुने
युधिष्ठिर उवाच शुल्कमन्येन दत्तं स्याद्ददानीत्याह चापरः बलादन्यः प्रभाषेत धनमन्यः प्रदर्शयेत्
AI Translation: Yudhi Shthira said: "One would say, ""I shall give the bride-price,"" while another would give it. " One would speak by force, while another would show the money.
पाणिग्रहीता त्वन्यः स्यात्कस्य कन्या पितामह तत्त्वं जिज्ञासमानानां चक्षुर्भवतु नो भवान्
AI Translation: Who is the groom? Who is the father of the bride? Be the eye for those who seek to know the truth.
भीष्म उवाच यत्किंचित्कर्म मानुष्यं संस्थानाय प्रकृष्यते मन्त्रवन्मन्त्रितं तस्य मृषावादस्तु पातकः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The deeds of men approved by the wise, are seen to yield good. False speech, however, is always sinful.
भार्यापत्यृत्विगाचार्याः शिष्योपाध्याय एव च मृषोक्ते दण्डमर्हन्ति नेत्याहुरपरे जनाः
M. N. Dutt: The girl herself who becomes wife, the sons born of her, the Ritvijas and preceptors and disciples and Upadhyayas present at the marriage all become liable to expiation if the girl gives her hand to a person other than he whom she had promised to marry. Some are of opinion that no expiation is necessary for such conduct.
न ह्यकामेन संवादं मनुरेवं प्रशंसति अयशस्यमधर्म्यं च यन्मृषा धर्मकोपनम्
M. N. Dutt: Manu does not speak highly of the practice of a girl living with a person whom she does not like. Living as wife with a person whom she does not like, produces disgrace and sin. No one commits sin in any of the following cases.
नैकान्तदोष एकस्मिंस्तद्दानं नोपलभ्यते धर्मतो यां प्रयच्छन्ति यां च क्रीणन्ति भारत
M. N. Dutt: In forcibly carrying away for marriage a girl that is bestowed upon the abductor by the girl's relatives with due rites, as also a girl for whom dower has been paid and accepted, there is no great sin.
बन्धुभिः समनुज्ञातो मन्त्रहोमौ प्रयोजयेत् तथा सिध्यन्ति ते मन्त्रा नादत्तायाः कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: Upon the girl's kinsmen having given their consent, Mantras and Homa should be restored to. Such Mantras truly accomplish their purpose. Mantras and Homa recited and performed in the case of a girl who has not been given away by her kinsmen, do not accomplish their purpose.
यस्त्वत्र मन्त्रसमयो भार्यापत्योर्मिथः कृतः तमेवाहुर्गरीयांसं यश्चासौ ज्ञातिभिः कृतः
M. N. Dutt: The engagement made by the relatives of a girl is, no doubt, binding and sacred. But the engagement that is made by the bride and bridegroom, with the help of Mantras, is very much, more so.
देवदत्तां पतिर्भार्यां वेत्ति धर्मस्य शासनात् सा दैवीं मानुषीं वाचमनृतां पर्युदस्यति
M. N. Dutt: According to the injunctions of the scriptures, the husband should regard his wife as an acquisition due to his own pristine deeds or to what has been ordained by God. One, therefore, commits no sin by accepting for wife a girl who had been promised to another by her kinsmen or for whom dower had been accepted by them from another.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच कन्यायां प्राप्तशुल्कायां ज्यायांश्चेदाव्रजेद्वरः धर्मकामार्थसंपन्नो वाच्यमत्रानृतं न वा
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said When after the receipt of dower for a girl, the girl's father more eligible sees a bridegroom,-one, who is endued with the threefold objects, does the girl's father commit sin by rejecting the person from whom dower had been received in favour of him who is more eligible?
तस्मिन्नुभयतो दोषे कुर्वञ्छ्रेयः समाचरेत् अयं नः सर्वधर्माणां धर्मश्चिन्त्यतमो मतः
M. N. Dutt: In such a case either alternative appears to be sinful, for to discard the person to whom the girl has been promised can never be honorable, while to reject the person who is more eligible can never be good. I ask, how should the father act so that he might be said to do that which is beneficial? To us, of all duties this seems to deserve utmost deliberation.
तत्त्वं जिज्ञासमानानां चक्षुर्भवतु नो भवान् तदेतत्सर्वमाचक्ष्व न हि तृप्यामि कथ्यताम्
M. N. Dutt: We are desirous of determining the truth. You, indeed, are our eyes. Do you explain this to us. I am never satiated vith listening to you.
भीष्म उवाच न वै निष्ठाकरं शुल्कं ज्ञात्वासीत्तेन नाहृतम् न हि शुल्कपराः सन्तः कन्यां ददति कर्हिचित्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The gift of the dower does not make the girl wife. This is wellknown to the person paying it. He pays it simply as the price of the girl . Then again the good never bestow their daughters, induced by the dowers that others may offer.
अन्यैर्गुणैरुपेतं तु शुल्कं याचन्ति बान्धवाः अलंकृत्वा वहस्वेति यो दद्यादनुकूलतः
AI Translation: If the kinsmen demand a dowry endowed with other qualities, and if one gives it willingly, adorning the bride and saying, "Take her,"
तच्च तां च ददात्येव न शुल्कं विक्रयो न सः प्रतिगृह्य भवेद्देयमेष धर्मः सनातनः
AI Translation: And he gives her to him, not as a price, not as a sale. Having accepted, it should be given. This is the eternal law.
दास्यामि भवते कन्यामिति पूर्वं नभाषितम् ये चैवाहुर्ये च नाहुर्ये चावश्यं वदन्त्युत
M. N. Dutt: In matters of marriage, some fathers say-I shall bestow my daughter upon such and such a person; some say-~-I shall not bestow my daughter upon such a one:—Some, again, say forcibly—I must bestow my daughter upon such an individual.
तस्मादा ग्रहणात्पाणेर्याचयन्ति परस्परम् कन्यावरः पुरा दत्तो मरुद्भिरिति नः श्रुतम्
M. N. Dutt: These declarations are not tantamount to actual marriage. People are seen to solicit one another for the hands of maidens. Till the hand is actually taken with due rites, marriage does not happen. We have heard that even this was the boon granted to men formerly by the Maruts about maidens.
नानिष्टाय प्रदातव्या कन्या इत्यृषिचोदितम् तन्मूलं काममूलस्य प्रजनस्येति मे मतिः
M. N. Dutt: The Rishis have laid the command upon all men that maidens should never be bestowed upon persons unless the father are eligible. The daughter is the root of desire and of descendants of the collateral line. This is what I think.
समीक्ष्य च बहून्दोषान्संवासाद्विद्विषाणयोः यथा निष्ठाकरं शुल्कं न जात्वासीत्तथा शृणु
M. N. Dutt: The practice of sale and purchase of the daughter, has been known to human beings for a long time. On account of such familiarity with the practice, you may be able, upon careful examination, to find innumerable faults in it. The gift or acceptance of dower alone could not be considered as creating the relation of husband and wife. Listen to what I say on this head.
अहं विचित्रवीर्याय द्वे कन्ये समुदावहम् जित्वा च मागधान्सर्वान्काशीनथ च कोसलान् गृहीतपाणिरेकासीत्प्राप्तशुल्कापराभवत्
M. N. Dutt: was Formerly, having defeated all the Magadhas, the Kashis, and the Koshalas, I bought away by force two maidens for Vichitravirya.
पाणौ गृहीता तत्रैव विसृज्या इति मे पिता अब्रवीदितरां कन्यामावहत्स तु कौरवः
AI Translation: My father said to me, "Let her go, she is in your hand." But that Kaurava took another girl.
अप्यन्यामनुपप्रच्छ शङ्कमानः पितुर्वचः अतीव ह्यस्य धर्मेप्सा पितुर्मेऽभ्यधिकाभवत्
AI Translation: He asked another, suspecting his father's words. For my father's desire for righteousness was very great.
ततोऽहमब्रुवं राजन्नाचारेप्सुरिदं वचः आचारं तत्त्वतो वेत्तुमिच्छामीति पुनः पुनः
M. N. Dutt: I then went to my father himself, O king, and addressed him these words from desire of Knowing something about the practices of pious people in respect of marriage: I wish, O sire, to know what in truth the practices are of righteous people! I repeatedly expressed my wish. Such was my eagerness and curiosity, that I expressed my desire several times.
ततो मयैवमुक्ते तु वाक्ये धर्मभृतां वरः पिता मम महाराज बाह्लीको वाक्यमब्रवीत्
AI Translation: Then, when I spoke these words, O best of upholders of dharma, My father, the great king Bahlika, spoke these words:
यदि वः शुल्कतो निष्ठा न पाणिग्रहणं तथा लाजान्तरमुपासीत प्राप्तशुल्का पतिं वृतम्
AI Translation: If you are satisfied with the dowry, not with the taking of the hand, Let her who has received the dowry approach her chosen husband.
न हि धर्मविदः प्राहुः प्रमाणं वाक्यतः स्मृतम् येषां वै शुल्कतो निष्ठा न पाणिग्रहणात्तथा
M. N. Dutt: Persons conversant with morality and duty do not hold that their words are at all authoritative who say that the relation of husband and wife arises from the gift and acceptance of dower, and not from the actual taking of the hand with due rites.
प्रसिद्धं भाषितं दाने तेषां प्रत्यसनं पुनः ये मन्यन्ते क्रयं शुल्कं न ते धर्मविदो जनाः
M. N. Dutt: The saying is well known that the relation of husband and wife is created by actual bestowal of the daughter by the father. The relation of wife is not formed through sale and purchase. They who consider such status to be due to sale and the gift of dower are persons who are certainly unacquainted with the scriptures.
न चैतेभ्यः प्रदातव्या न वोढव्या तथाविधा न ह्येव भार्या क्रेतव्या न विक्रेया कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: No one should bestow his daughter upon such persons. In fact, they are not men with whom one may marry his daughter. A wife should never be purchased. Nor should a father sell his daughter.
ये च क्रीणन्ति दासीवद्ये च विक्रीणते जनाः भवेत्तेषां तथा निष्ठा लुब्धानां पापचेतसाम्
M. N. Dutt: Only those sinful persons who possessed besides, by cupidity, and who sell and purchase female slaves for making them servants, consider the relation of wife as capable of originating from the gift and acceptance of dower.
अस्मिन्धर्मे सत्यवन्तं पर्यपृच्छन्त वै जनाः कन्यायाः प्राप्तशुल्कायाः शुल्कदः प्रशमं गतः
AI Translation: The people asked Satyavān about this Dharma: "The bridegroom who had received the bride-price had become calm."
पाणिग्रहीता चान्यः स्यादत्र नो धर्मसंशयः तन्नश्छिन्धि महाप्राज्ञ त्वं हि वै प्राज्ञसंमतः तत्त्वं जिज्ञासमानानां चक्षुर्भवतु नो भवान्
AI Translation: And another is the groom. Here there is no doubt about our duty. Therefore, O greatly wise one, resolve it for us, for you are considered wise. Be an eye for us who desire to know the truth.
तानेवं ब्रुवतः सर्वान्सत्यवान्वाक्यमब्रवीत् यत्रेष्टं तत्र देया स्यान्नात्र कार्या विचारणा कुर्वते जीवतोऽप्येवं मृते नैवास्ति संशयः
AI Translation: Thus addressed, Satyavan spoke to them all: "Where it is desired, it should be given. There should be no hesitation here. Even while alive, they do this. There is
देवरं प्रविशेत्कन्या तप्येद्वापि महत्तपः तमेवानुव्रता भूत्वा पाणिग्राहस्य नाम सा
M. N. Dutt: Some say that the virgin wife or widow, whose, marriage has not been consummated with her husband by actual sexual intercourse on account of his absence or death-may be allowed to unite herself with her husband's younger brother or such other relation. The husband dying before such consummation, the virginwidow may either surrender herself to her husband's younger brother or practise penances.
लिखन्त्येव तु केषांचिदपरेषां शनैरपि इति ये संवदन्त्यत्र त एतं निश्चयं विदुः
M. N. Dutt: In the opinion of some, the younger brother of the husband or such other relation may thus use the virgin wife or widow, though others hold that such practice, though it is frequent, originates from desire instead of being a scriptural ordinance. They who say so are clearly of opinion that the father of a maiden has the right to bestow her upon any eligible person, disregarding the dower previously given by another and accepted by himself. one
तत्पाणिग्रहणात्पूर्वमुत्तरं यत्र वर्तते सर्वमङ्गलमन्त्रं वै मृषावादस्तु पातकः
M. N. Dutt: If after the hand of a maiden has been promised all the initial rites before marriage be performed, the maiden may still be given to a person other than the one to whom she had been promised. Only the giver commits the sin of falsehood; so far, however, as the relation of wife is concerned, no injury can occur thereto.
पाणिग्रहणमन्त्राणां निष्ठा स्यात्सप्तमे पदे पाणिग्राहस्य भार्या स्याद्यस्य चाद्भिः प्रदीयते
M. N. Dutt: The Mantras of marriage accomplish their object of bringing about the indissoluble union of marriage at the seventh step. The maiden becomes the wife of him to whom the gift is actually made with water.
अनुकूलामनुवंशां भ्रात्रा दत्तामुपाग्निकाम् परिक्रम्य यथान्यायं भार्यां विन्देद्द्विजोत्तमः
M. N. Dutt: The gift of maidens should be made in the following way. The wise know it forsooth. A superior Brahmana should marry a maiden who is not unwilling, who belongs to a family equal to his own in purity or dignity, and who is given away by her brother. Such a girl should be married in the presence of fire, with due rites, causing her, amongst other things, to go round the bridegroom for the usual number of times.