Shloka 2
Varṇasaṃkara: Causes, Classifications, and Conduct-based Recognition (वर्णसंकरः—हेतु-जाति-आचारनिर्णयः)
भीष्म उवाच या पुत्रकस्य ऋद्धस्य प्रतिपाल्या तदा भवेत् | अथ चेन्नाहरेच्छुल्क॑ क्रीता शुल्कप्रदस्य सा
bhīṣma uvāca yā putrakasya ṛddhasya pratipālyā tadā bhavet | atha cen nāharec chulkaṃ krītā śulkapradasya sā ||
Bhīṣma sprach: „Yudhiṣṭhira, wenn der Brautpreis von einem reichen Mann ohne Sohn angenommen wurde, dann ist es Pflicht des Vaters, das Mädchen in jeder Hinsicht zu schützen, bis jener zurückkehrt. Solange diese Zahlung nicht zurückerstattet ist, gilt die Jungfrau—gleichsam ‘erkauft’—als demjenigen zugehörig, der den Preis entrichtet hat.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Accepting a bride-price creates a binding obligation: until the payment is returned, the guardian must protect the maiden, and failure to repay implies the transaction stands, making her legally/ritually associated with the payer. The emphasis is on accountability, protection of the vulnerable, and integrity in agreements.
In his instruction to Yudhishthira on dharma, Bhishma discusses a case involving a maiden for whom a bride-price has been taken. He clarifies the guardian’s duty of protection and the legal-ethical consequence if the bride-price is not returned.