Manava Dharmashastra 3.54

3.54

“kiṃ varāddhanādhigamo vikrayo bhavati” | neti brūmaḥ | jñātayaḥ kanyāyāmadhikṛtāḥ svārthamādadate gṛhṇanti tadā sa vikrayaḥ | arhaṇaṃ anyārthe dhanagrahaṇaṃ kanyānāṃ tadarhaṇaṃ pūjanaṃ bhavati | bahumānaḥ kanyānāmātmani bhavati, 'īdṛśyo vayaṃ yaddhanaṃ datvā vivāhyāmahe'| anyatrāpi pūjyā bhavanti 'subhagā etā' iti | ābharaṇādi vā tena dhanena kartavyamato'bhyarhitāḥ śobhātvatyo bhavanti | ānṛśaṃsyamapāpatvaṃ kevalaṃ na svalpo'pyadharmagandho'sti | ato'nenārthavādena anyārthaṃ dhanagrahaṇaṃ vidhīyate |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The question being—“Does the mere act of receiving gifts from the bridegroom make the marriage a sale?”—our answer is that it is not so; it is when the ‘relations’ of the bride,—i.e., those in charge of her—accept gifts for themselves, then alone it is ‘selling.’

‘Means of honouring’:—The receiving of presents on behalf of brides becomes a means of honouring them; it raises the girls in their own estimation; they come to think that ‘we are so good that we are being married after receiving proper presents;’ they rise in the estimation of the people also, who look upon such brides as very ‘handsomely fortunate.’ Or, when out of the presents received ornaments are made for them, and they are decked in them, they look beautiful.

‘Harmless’—it involves no sin; i.e., there is not the slightest taint of sin in this act.

What this exaggerated statement indicates is that the accepting of presents on behalf of the bride is permitted.—(54).