The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c7.s4.20

c7.s4.20

Dowry system, therefore, was generally unknown in early societies, and the same was the case with ancient Hindus. In rich and royal families some gifts used to be given to sons-in-law at the time of marriage. Thus the Atharvaveda once incidentally refers to royal brides, bringing with them the dowry of a hundred cows¹. Draupadī, Subhadrā and Uttarā also brought with them rich presents of horses, elephants and jewels at the time when they left their parents’ homes after their marriages. In *Raghuvaṁśa* (VII, 32) we find the king of Vidarbha sending handsome presents with his sister Indumatī at the time of her departure with her husband after her marriage. These presents, however, can hardly be called dowries, for they were voluntarily made after the marriage out of pure affection. There are no references either in Smṛitis or in dramas to the dowry, *i. e.*, to a pre-nuptial contract of payment made by the bride’s father with the bridegroom or his guardian. If the custom had prevailed to anything like its present extent, it would have been very vehemently condemned by Smṛiti writers like the counter custom of the bride-price. We meet with no such condemnation. Smṛitis, no doubt, recommend that the bride should be given in marriage along with suitable ornaments, but their number and price is left entirely to the discretion and ability of the bride’s father. A pre-nuptial contract in this respect is neither contemplated nor countenanced.