Shloka 3

Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच शीलवृत्ते समाज्ञाय विद्यां योनिं च कर्म च । सद्/रिरेवं प्रदातव्या कन्या गुणयुते वरे

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | śīla-vṛtte samājñāya vidyāṁ yoniṁ ca karma ca | sadṛśaṁ evaṁ pradātavyā kanyā guṇayute vare ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Après avoir d’abord vérifié le caractère et la conduite du prétendant—son savoir, sa lignée et sa manière d’agir—on ne doit donner la jeune fille qu’à un parti digne. Ainsi, lorsque le soupirant se révèle pourvu de vertus de tous côtés, la fille doit lui être accordée.»

Word by Word

• {'bhīṣma uvāca': 'Bhishma said', 'śīla': 'character, disposition, moral nature', 'vṛtta': 'conduct, behavior, way of life', 'samājñāya': 'having ascertained, having examined and understood', 'vidyā': 'learning, education, knowledge', 'yoni': 'birth, lineage, family origin', 'karma': 'actions, deeds

• practical conduct', 'sadṛśam': 'suitable, fitting, well-matched', 'evam': 'thus, in this manner', 'pradātavyā': 'should be given (to be bestowed in marriage)', 'kanyā': 'maiden, daughter', 'guṇayuta': 'endowed with virtues/qualities', 'vara': 'bridegroom, suitor'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• kanyā (maiden/daughter)
• vara (bridegroom/suitor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Before giving a daughter in marriage, one must carefully examine the suitor’s character and conduct, learning, lineage, and actions; only a truly virtuous and suitable man should be accepted.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is instructing on dharma related to marriage arrangements, emphasizing due scrutiny of the prospective groom’s qualities and background before bestowing the maiden.