War in Ancient India c5.s1.32

c5.s1.32

and the rākṣasa form only secondarily. On this plea Duṣyanta persuaded Śakuntalā to marry him. Convinced that it was allowed by the scriptures, Śakuntalā agreed on condition that the son that should be born of her should become heir apparent. The gāndharva form was generally the voluntary union of a Kṣatriya with a woman of his own caste, with or without the consent of their parents. But, according to a verse in the Anuśāsana Parva, the gāndharva form is defined thus: ‘The father of the girl conferred his daughter on a certain person whom she liked and who in his turn reciprocated her love, whether he liked it or not.’ 28 The āsura form is to get a girl by paying a heavy price to her kinsmen, while the forcible removal of a girl by overpowering or slaying her kinsmen is said to be the rākṣasa form.