nor less than they ought to
be, and no one of them entirely wanting, and not troubled with a sickly
body. The man should, of course, also possess these qualities himself.
But at all events, says Ghotakamukha, a girl who has been already joined
with others (_i.e._, no longer a maiden) should never be loved, for it
would be reproachable to do such a thing.

Now in order to bring about a marriage with such a girl as described
above, the parents and relations of the man should exert themselves, as
also such friends on both sides as may be desired to assist in the
matter. These friends should bring to the notice of the girl's parents,
the faults, both present and future, of all the other men that may wish
to marry her, and should at the same time extol even to exaggeration
all the excellencies, ancestral, and paternal, of their friend, so as to
endear him to them, and particularly to those that may be liked by the
girl's mother. One of the friends should also disguise himself as an
astrologer and declare the future good fortune and wealth of his friend
by showing the existence of all the lucky omens[43] and signs,[44] the
good influence of planets, the auspicious entrance of the sun into a
sign of the Zodiac, propitious stars and fortunate marks on his body.
Others again should rouse the jealousy of the girl's mother by telling
her that their friend has a chance of getting from some other quarter
even a better girl than hers.

A girl should be taken as a wife, as also given in marriage, when
fortune, signs, omens, and the words[45] of others are favourable, for,
says Ghotakamukha, a man should not marry at any time he likes. A girl
who is asleep, crying, or gone out of the house when sought in marriage,
or who is betrothed to another, should not be married. The following
also should be avoided:

One who is kept concealed.
One who has an ill-sounding name.
One who has her nose depressed.
One who has her nostril turned up.
One who is formed like a male.
One who is bent down.
One who has crooked thighs.
One who has a projecting forehead.
One who has a bald head.
One who does not like purity.
One who has been polluted by another.
One who is afflicted with the Gulma.[46]
One who is disfigured in any way.
One who has fully arrived at puberty.
One who is a friend.
One who is a younger sister.
One who is a Varshakari.[47]

In the same way a girl who is called by the name