Manava Dharmashastra 3.55

3.55

na kevalaṃ varādādāya dātavyaṃ kanyābandhubhirapi tu tairapi dātavyam | pitṛbhiḥ sāhacaryātpitṛśabdaḥ pitāmahapitṛvyādiṣu vartate, tato bahuvacanam | vyaktyapekṣaṃ vā bahuvacanam | eva patibhiḥ śvaśurādibhirvyaktyapekṣaṃ vā | devarāḥ patyurdhrātaraḥ | pūjyāḥ | putrajanmādyutsaveṣu nimantraṇapūrvakamānāśnayabahumānamādareṇa bhojanādinā pūjyāḥ | bhūṣayitavyāḥ | vastrādyalaṃkāreṇāṅgalepanādibhirmaṇḍayitavyāḥ | atra phalaṃ bahukalyāṇamīpsubhiḥ | kalyāṇaṃ kamanīyaṃ putradhanādisaṃpadaro gatā'paribhava ityādi bahuśabdātsarvamīpsubhirāptumicchadbhiḥ prāptukāmaiḥ | phalārtho vidhirayam |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The bride’s relations are not only to receive presents for her from the bridegroom; they themselves shall make presents to her.

‘Fathers’—through association, the term ‘father’ here includes the grandfather, uncle, etc., also; hence the plural number; or, the plural number may be explained as referring to several individual brides.

Similarly, ‘husbands’ may stand for father-in-law, &c.; or, it may refer to several individual girls.

‘Brothers-in-law’—the husband’s brothers.

‘Shall be honoured’—during rejoicings in connection with the birth of sons, &c., they should be invited, welcomed and received with honour and feasting.

‘Shall be adorned’—should be decked with clothes, ornaments, unguents, and so forth.

The effect of all this is next indicated—‘welfare what is desirable, i.e., being endowed with children, wealth, &c., good health, freedom from troubles, and so forth: Those who are desirous of all this—i.e., of obtaining all this (should do what is said above).

The injunction contained in this verse has been set forth for the purpose of indicating this reward.—(55)