ascertaining the truth. Thou, indeed,
art our eyes! Do thou explain this to us. I am never satiated with
listening to thee!"

"'Bhishma said, "The gift of the dower does not cause the status of wife
to attach to the girl. This is well-known to the person paying it. He
pays it simply as the price of the girl. Then again they that are good
never bestow their daughters, led by the dowers that others may offer.
When the person desirous of wedding happens to be endued with such
qualities as do not go down with the girl's kinsmen, it is then that
kinsmen demand dower from him. That person, however, who won over by
another's accomplishments, addresses him, saying, 'Do thou wed my girl,
adorning her with proper ornaments of gold and gems,'--and that person
who complies with this request, cannot be said to demand dower or give
it, for such a transaction is not really a sale. The bestowal of a
daughter upon acceptance of what may strictly be regarded as gifts (of
affection or love) is the eternal practice. In matters of marriage some
fathers say, 'I shall not bestow my daughter upon such and such a
person;' some say, 'I shall bestow my daughter upon such a one.'--Some
again say with vehemence, 'I must bestow my daughter upon such an
individual.' These declarations do not amount to actual marriage. People
are seen to solicit one another for the hands of maidens (and promise and
retreat). Till the hand is actually taken with due rites, marriage cannot
be said to take place. It has been heard by us that even this was the
boon granted to men in days of old by the Maruts in respect of
maidens[284]. The Rishis have laid the command upon all men that maidens
should never be bestowed upon persons unless the latter happen to be most
fit or eligible. The daughter is the root of desire and of descendants of
the collateral line. Even this is what I think.[285] The practice has
been known to human beings from a long time,--the practice, of sale and
purchase of the daughter. In consequence of such familiarity with the
practice, thou mayst be able, upon careful examination, to find
innumerable faults in it. The gift or acceptance of dower alone could not
be regarded as creating the status of husband and wife. Listen to what I
say on this head.

"'"Formerly, having defeated all the Magadhas, the Kasis, and the Kosalas,
I brought away by force two maidens for Vichitravirya. One of those two
maidens was wedded with due rites. The other maiden wa