Shloka 31
Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma
भीष्य उवाच नैव निष्ठाकरं शुल्कं ज्ञात्वा5डसीत् तेन नाहतम् | न हि शुल्कपरा: सन्त: कनन््यां ददति कहिचित्
bhīṣma uvāca: naiva niṣṭhākaraṁ śulkaṁ jñātvā dāsīt tena nāhatam | na hi śulka-parāḥ santaḥ kanyāṁ dadati karhi cit ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai raja, pembayaran harga pengantin saja tidak menjadikan pernikahan itu pasti dan tak dapat diubah. Mengetahui bahwa kesepakatan masih dapat berubah, seseorang memberikan pembayaran itu dan karenanya ia tidak dirugikan. Orang-orang berbudi tidak semata-mata karena uang lalu selalu menyerahkan gadis itu dalam setiap keadaan.”
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that a monetary payment connected with marriage (śulka) does not automatically make the match final or morally binding; since circumstances may change, the payer gives with that understanding and should not claim injury, and even respectable families may refuse to give the maiden despite payment due to valid reasons.
In Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dharma and social conduct, Bhishma addresses the ethics of marriage arrangements involving śulka, clarifying that payment alone does not guarantee kanyādāna and that the giver’s decision may still change without implying wrongdoing.