Verse 3.29

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

एकं गोमिथुनं द्वे वा वरादादाय धर्मतः ।
कन्याप्रदानं विधिवदार्षो धर्मः स उच्यते ॥ २९ ॥

ekaṃ gomithunaṃ dve vā varādādāya dharmataḥ |
kanyāpradānaṃ vidhivadārṣo dharmaḥ sa ucyate || 29 ||

‘When the maiden is given away in due accordance with rule, after taking, in odedience to law, from the bridegroom, one or two pairs of cow and bull,—this is called the “Ārṣa” form.’—(29).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

“Pair;”—i.e., the cow (female) and the bull (male).—‘one or two,’—‘after taking’—receiving—‘from the bridegroom, ’—when the maiden is given away’—this is the ‘Ārṣa’ form.

‘In obedience to law;’—i.e., with the idea that such receiving is sanctioned by law, and hot with the idea of receiving it in exchange for (price for) the girl. The sense is that what is received cannot be regarded as the price; as there is no possibility of any higher or lower demand being made (as there would be if it were a question of price).—(29)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Burnell is not right in remarking that ‘this is the most common form now.’ Among the better classes of the Brāhmaṇas the ‘Brāhma’ still continues to be the most common form; and among others, the form most common now is the Āsura.

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 849), where ‘dharmataḥ’ is explained as meaning ‘according to family-custom’; or ‘in obedience to the law governing the Ārṣa marriage, not by way of a price for the girl.’

It is quoted also in Madanapārijāta (p. 155) as showing that it is not necessary that the number of ‘cows given should be always ‘two’ as mentioned in other Smṛtis;—it adds that if the Father of the Bride accept this ‘pair of cow and bull’ it becomes a ‘selling’ of the girl;—in Hemādri (Dana, p. 684);—in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p. 62a);—and in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 228), which explains ‘Gomithunam’ as ‘a milch cow and a bull.’

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama (4. 8).—‘In the Ārṣa form the bridegroom should present to the bride’s guardian a pair of cow and bull.’

Baudhāyana (1. 11).—‘After having made the first two offerings of fried grains, the bridegroom should present a pair of cow and hull to the bride’s guardian and then marry her; this is the Ārṣa form.’

Āpastamba- Dharmasūtra (2. 11. 18).—‘In the Ārṣa form, two pairs of cow and bull should be given to the bride’s father.’

Vaśiṣṭha (1.32).—‘The Arṣa is accomplished by means of a pair of cow and bull.’

Viṣṇu (2. 4. 21).—‘The Ārṣa is accomplished by the acceptance of a pair of cow and bull.’

Yājñavalkya (1. 59).—‘By accepting a pair of cows, it is the Ārṣa.’

Āśvalāyana-Gṛhyasūtra (1. 6. 4).—‘If one marries the girl after presenting a pair of cow and bull, it is the Ārṣa marriage: it purifies seven future and seven past generations on both sides.’

Devala (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 851).—‘That wherein there is giving away of the girl, along with a pair of cow and bull, to a bridegroom, praiseworthy and not. belonging to the same gotra,—this they know as the Ārṣa marriage.’

Śaṅkha-Likhita (Do.).—‘The Ārṣa is accomplished by means of a pair of cow and bull, or of a pair of clothes; but in every case ornaments and dowry should be given.’