Shloka 33
Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma
यच्च तां च ददत्येवं न शुल्क विक्रयो न सः । प्रतिगृह्म भवेद् देयमेष धर्म: सनातन:
yac ca tāṃ ca dadaty evaṃ na śulka-vikrayo na saḥ | pratigṛhṇan bhaved deyaṃ eṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ||
وإذا زُوِّجت على هذا الوجه فليس ذلك بيعًا بثمن العروس—فليس المُعطي تاجرًا. وما يُعطى ينبغي أن يُتلقّى على أنه هِبة؛ فذلك هو قانون الدارما الأبدي.
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma distinguishes righteous marriage-giving from commercial transaction: giving a maiden is not to be treated as a sale for a demanded bride-price; what is offered should be received as a gift, in keeping with enduring dharma.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma (especially social and household norms), he clarifies the ethical boundary in marriage arrangements: payments must not turn the act into ‘selling’ the bride; acceptance should be in the spirit of a gift rather than purchase.