[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Polity, Pleasure & Law](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti) › [Law and Social-Religious Duty](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma) › [Mānava Dharmaśāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu) › [Manubhashya](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi) › 3.35 # Manava Dharmashastra 3.35 Manubhāṣya 3.35 - **Language:** Sanskrit ### [3.35](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.35) dvijāgryāṇāṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ kanyādānaṃ kanyāṃ dadatāmadbhireva dānaṃ śasyate | brāhmaṇāya yadā kanyāṃ dadāti tadā'dbhireva dadyāt | “kathaṃ punarāpo dānakaraṇam” | na hi tābhirvinā dānamasti “adbhirvācyaṃ namaḥpūrva bhikṣā dānaṃ dadāti vai | evaṃ dharmeṣviti” niyamāt | athavā adbhirevetyavadhāraṇenārṣāsuraprājāpatyānapavadati | tatra hi na kevalā āpaḥ karaṇaṃ, gomithunādidravyagrahaṇamapi saṃvidvyavasthā ca | tenaitaduktaṃ bhavati | yathā gohiraṇyādi dravyaṃ dīyate, na kiṃcitparibhāṣyate—'iyaṃ gaustvayaiva saṃvāhanīyedṛśāni tṛṇānyapi deyāni', evaṃ kanyāpi deyā, na duhitṛsnehena jāmātā paribhāṣāṃ kārayitavyaḥ | na ca tanmāddhanaṃ grahītavyamiti | kṣatriyādīnāṃ tu itaretarakāmyayā parasparecchayā yadi kanyāvarayoḥ parasparamabhilāṣo bhavati tadā dānaṃ kartavyaṃ, netarathā brāhmavivāhavat | anye tu vyācakṣate | dhanaṃ vā gṛhītvā'dbhireva vetyeṣa itaretarakāmyārthaḥ | asminpakṣe brāhmasya sarvaviṣayatā jñāpitā bhavati | > ‘For the chief of twice-born men the giving away of one’s daughter with water alone is commended; but for the other castes it is with mutual desire.’—(35) > — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi > Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya): > ‘For the chief of twice-born men;’—i.e., for Brāhmaṇas. > — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi > ‘Giving away of the daughter—when one is giving away his daughter, the giving away ‘with water,’ ‘is commended.’ That is, when one is giving his daughter to a Brāhmaṇa, he should give her ‘with water’ only. > — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi > “How can water be the instrument (means) of giving?” > — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi > What is meant is that without water, there can be no ‘giving;’ since we have the law—‘alms and gifts should be given with water, after the uttering of the syllable namaḥ, and so also in all religious acts.’ > — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi > Or, by the restriction expressed by the phrase, ‘with water alone,’ the text means to exclude the ‘Ārṣa,’ the ‘Āsura’ and the ‘Prājāpatya;’ as in these latter, water is not the only instrument used; other instruments also being used; such as ‘a cow and a bull,’ as also the compact (that ‘you should perform your duty together’). > — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi > What is really meant (by the girl being given ‘with water alone’) is as follows:—Just as when a cow, or gold or such other things are given, the giver does not impose any conditions,—such as ‘this cow should be thus tended by you, she should be fed upon such and such grass,’ and so forth,—in the same manner should the girl also be given; and the father shall not, through his great love for his daughter, impose upon his son-in-law any conditions; nor should he receive from him any presents. > — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi > As for the Kṣatriya and other castes, there should be ‘giving’ of the girl, when there is mutual desire on the part of the bride and the bridegroom; and not otherwise, as it is done in the ‘Brāhma’ form of marriage. > — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi > Others explain this as follows—what is meant by ‘mutual desire’ is that the father may either receive presents or give her ‘with water’ only. > — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi > According to this explanation, it becomes indicated that the ‘Brahma’ form of marriage pertains to all castes.—(35). > — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi - [Previous: 3.34.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.34.4) - [Next: 3.36](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.36) - [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3) ## Translations (1) - [Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi~en-jha.3.35.p1) — Ganganatha Jha 1920, English ## Linked texts (1) - [Mānava Dharmaśāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu.3.35) — Manu & Bhṛgu, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.35](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.35) · Pramāṇa