Verse 3.30

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

सहौभौ चरतां धर्ममिति वाचाऽनुभाष्य च ।
कन्याप्रदानमभ्यर्च्य प्राजापत्यो विधिः स्मृतः ॥ ३० ॥

sahaubhau caratāṃ dharmamiti vācā'nubhāṣya ca |
kanyāpradānamabhyarcya prājāpatyo vidhiḥ smṛtaḥ || 30 ||

When the Father, having decked them, gives away the daughter with the words, “may you both together perform your duty,” making them also repeat them,—this is called the “Prājāpatya” form.—(30).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The ‘Prājāpatya’ form of marriage is that in which the girl is given away on the clear undertaking having been taken in so many words that “you both together shall duly Fulfil your duties.”

‘Duty’ has been mentioned only by way of illustration; the undertaking refers to ‘duty,’ ‘property’ and ‘pleasure’ also; as, in all these three, the interests of the husband and the wife are common. In reality, what is actually uttered is the word duty’ only, the expression used being ‘may duty be performed by you both,’ and not that ‘may duty, property and pleasure he accomplished:’ but, in consideration of what has been said in other law-books, the term ‘duty’ in the said expression has been explained as standing for ‘property’ and ‘pleasure’ also. Hence the conclusion is that the expression ‘may duty be performed by you both together is to be pronounced at the time that the girl is being given away to the person upon whom the condition has been imposed that ‘this girl is to be given to you only if you fulfil your duty, property and pleasure along with her,’ and who has accepted the condition at the time of marriage. Thus, then, even though⁽property’ and ‘pleasure’ also are meant to be included, yet they are not actually mentioned, because they are not of sufficient importance. Says Gautama (4. 7)—‘In the Prājāpatya form of marriage, the mantra used is may you together perform your duty;’ and the use of the term ‘mantras’ clearly shows that the words to be used should be precisely as they are laid down here, Just as in the case of mantra-texts. Further, in the case of very powerful men, it would not be right to make it a condition that the wife shall partake of all their properties and pleasures; and yet that these also are meant we learn from other law-books.

This form of marriage is inferior to the preceding ones only by reason of this condition being imposed; as this shows that there is a desire on the part of the giver for some sort of return from the recipient.

The bridegroom also is made to repeat in his words the condition that he accepts; and the exact form laid down is not for the giver only. For ‘having made to repeat’ would have been enough if only one of them were to say it, the phrase, ‘with the words,’ would have been superfluous; the act of repeating being always by means of words only. Says the author of the Gṛhyasūtra—‘Having said this is true for you, he should make the bridegroom say this is true for us.’ In fact, the prefix in ‘anubhāṣya’ (‘having made to repeat’) clearly indicates the confirmation of what has been said before.—(30).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 851);—in Hemādri (Dāna, p. 685);—and in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 228).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama (4. 7).—‘The Prājāpatya consists in merely bringing them together, with the exhortation—may you together perform your duty.’

Baudhāyana (l. 11. 3).—‘Having dressed and adorned her, if she is given away, with the exhortation, may this girl cooperate with you in the performance of duty,—this constitutes the Prājāpatya form.’

Viṣṇu (24.22).—‘The Prājāpatya form consists in the giving away of the girl when she has been asked for.’

Yājñavalkya (1.60).—‘When a girl is given to a man who has asked for her, with the words—may she co-operate with you in the performance of duty—this is the Prājāpatya form, and the son horn of this purifies six generations on each side along with the giver himself.’

Āśvalāyana-Gṛhyasūtra (1.6.1.3.).—‘The Prājāpatya is accompanied by the exhortation—may you both co-operate in the performance of duty; this purifies eight past and eight future generations on both sides.’

Devala (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 851).—‘When the girl is decked and given away on the clearly expressed understanding that the couple is to co-operate in the performance of duty,—this is the Prājāpatya marriage.’