Shloka 32
Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma
अन्यैर्गुणैरुपेतं तु शुल्क॑ याचन्ति बान्धवा: । अलंकृत्वा वहस्वेति यो दद्यादनुकूलत:
anyair guṇair upetaṃ tu śulkaṃ yācanti bāndhavāḥ | alaṅkṛtvā vahasveti yo dadyād anukūlataḥ ||
毗湿摩说：女子的亲族，唯在她带有其他不利的条件或特质（如年岁偏长等）时，才会索取“新娘之价”。但若邀请准新郎来，对他说：“为她备饰装点，然后娶她为妻。”而他遂为她置办首饰并与之成婚，此举便合乎达摩之道。
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma distinguishes between demanding a bride-price (often linked to unfavourable circumstances) and a dharmic arrangement where the groom voluntarily provides ornaments and marries with consent; the latter is treated as proper and ethical.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on conduct and social duties, he explains when asking for śulka occurs and clarifies that a groom adorning the bride by giving ornaments, when invited to do so, is a dharma-consistent form of marriage arrangement.