The saying is well-known that
the status of husband and wife is created by actual bestowal of the
daughter by the sire (and her acceptance by the husband with due rites).
The status of wife cannot attach to maidens through sale and purchase.
They who regard such status to be due to sale and the gift of dowry are
persons that are certainly unacquainted with the scriptures. No one
should bestow his daughter upon such persons. In fact, they are not men
to whom one may marry his daughter. A wife should never be purchased. Nor
should a father sell his daughter. Only those persons of sinful soul who
are possessed, besides, by cupidity, and who sell and purchase female
slaves for making serving women, regard the status of wife as capable of
arising from the gift and acceptance of a dowry. On this subject some
people on one occasion had asked prince Satyavat the following question,
'If the giver of a dowry unto the kinsmen of a maiden happens to die
before marriage, can another person take the hand of that maiden in
marriage? We have doubts on this matter. Do thou remove these doubts of
ours, for thou art endued with great wisdom and art honoured by the wise.
Be thou the organ of vision unto ourselves that are desirous of learning
the truth.' Prince Satyavat answered saying, 'The kinsmen of the maiden
should bestow her upon him whom they consider eligible.
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