Shloka 56
Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma
अनुकूलामनुवंशां क्रात्रा दत्तामुपाग्निकाम् । परिक्रम्य यथान्यायं भार्या विन्देद् द्विजोत्तम:
anukūlām anuvaṁśāṁ ca bhrātrā dattām upāgnikām | parikramya yathānyāyaṁ bhāryāṁ vinded dvijottamaḥ ||
Bhishma bersabda: Seorang terbaik di antara kaum dwija hendaknya menerima sebagai istri seorang perempuan yang berwatak selaras, sesuai dengan garis keturunannya, diserahkan dengan semestinya oleh saudaranya, dan duduk dekat api suci yang menyala; setelah mengelilingi api menurut tata yang benar, ia harus menerimanya sesuai aturan śāstra.
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Marriage is presented as a dharmic sacrament: the bride should be compatible and properly given by a guardian, and the union is ritually sealed by circumambulating the sacred fire according to śāstric procedure.
Bhishma is instructing on household and marriage duties, describing the proper qualifications of a bride and the ritual act—circumambulation of the kindled fire—by which a twice-born man formally accepts her as wife.