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12 Brhat-Parasara 13 Yama quoted in smrti-candrika states that one should seek for seven qualities in a bridegroom, viz. good family, good character, bodily appearance, fame, learning, wealth and support of relatives and friends enumerates eight qualities in a bridegroom, viz. caste, learning, youth, strength, health, support of many friends, ambition and possession of wealth. The Brahma Purana also joins hands with these two and states that the qualities to be sought for in a bridegroom are wealth, learning, youth, good family, fame, good nature, and support of others.14 Again when king Surasena want -ed to arrange the marriage of his son, he describes his son as 10 (129.61,62).As regards the discussion on this point, refer the section 'Position of women - woman as wife' of this chapter. 5 11 Janayitva tmajanvedavidhina³ Khilasamskrtih 1 na kuryadyah pita tasya narakahnasti niskrtih >> Br. p. 111.11 12 kulam ca silam ca vapuryassa vidyam.ca wittam ca sunithatam cal etangumansalta Pariksya deya kanya budhaih sesamacintaniyam yama in Smrticandrika, I P. 78 13 P.118, Jiv.ed.,Vide Kane, Op.Cit.,PP. 429-30. 14 Srimate viduse yune kulinaya yasasvine i Udaraya sanathaya kanya deya varaya vai || 165.8.

300 the possessing of good qualities, intelligent, brave, invincible, a trouble for the enemies, and an expert in chariot-driving, elephant riding and Dhanurvidya (111.18,19). Thus among the ksatriyas, besides the common qualities mentioned above, cortain auxiliary qualities like valour and knowledge of the necessary vidyas for the ksatriya seem to be considered necessary. The Brahma Purana provides one more instance from which the standard of a bridegroom could be judged. Thus when Siva was not invited in the sacrifice conducted by Daksa, Sati, Siva's wife asks her father Daksa the reason as to why the husbands of all her sisters were invited and siva was not called. Daksa thereupon answers that Siva can never stand in the same line along with his other sons-in-law as they were srestha, varistha, brahmistha, observing vratas, great yogins, religious, and from all the points of view more meritorious, whereas siva had none of these qualities. This shows incidentally that the above qualities were much sought for in a brahmin-bridegroom (34.16-19). Katyayana states that the following defective bridegrooms are to be avoided viz. the lunatic, one guilty of grave sins, leprous, impotent, one of the same gotra, one bereft of eyesight or hearing, an epileptic and adds that these defects 15 are to be avoided even among brides. Though, the Brahma Purana does not mention the defective traits to be avoided in the bridegroom, still it provides an instance from which it could 15 Unmattah Patitah kusthe tatha sandha svagotrajah I caksusotra vinimasa tathaps maradusitah Varadosa I hyete smrta hyete Kanyadosasa kirtitah Smrticandrike I, P.Sq

301 be seen how people hesitated in arranging the marriage of a defective person. Thus it so happened that a king Surasena obtained a son who had instead of having the human form, had the form of a seppent. The king carefully concealed this trait of his son from all the people but when the serpent came of age and asked his father to settle his marriage, his father was very worried and after due considerations asked the advice of his minister. The minister being tactful arranged the marriage of the serpent with a princess Bhogavati but did not reveal the fact of the bridegroom being a serpent, to the father of Bhogavati. The serpent himself could not remain present, therefore, he sent his weapon as his representative with which Bhogavati was married. Being too good natured, Bhogavati accepted the serpent as her husband after the marriage. The story is then given a religious turn and the serpent at the end gets a human form. Though, the whole matter remains on the range of improbability, still the idea that clearly comes forth from it is that it was too difficult to arrange the marriage of a defective bridegroom. (A.111). A study of sutras and smrtis reveals that the rules for the selection of the bridge were far more elaborate than those for selecting a bridegroom, though, in some respects they are the same. The Asv. Gr. states that one should marry a girl who is endowed with intelligence, beauty, a good character and health.16 The Brahma Purana describes the good qualities, viz. 16 Buddhirupasilalaksanasampannamarogamupayaccheta |Asv. Gr.s. I. 5-3, vide also Ap. Gr. III. 20.

302 beauty, youth and an intent service of the parents-in-law as the good qualities of Bhogavati as a bride. (111.51), Elsewhere it is stated that a bride coming from a noble family is the greatest helpmate in a husband's life. (167.25) As regards the defective signs to be avoided in the brides, Narada states: When they suffer from long-standing or disgusting diseases, when they are devoid of a limit or have already have connection with another man, when they are wicked or have their minds fixed on another, they should not be selected.17 The Brahma Purana states that one should not select a bride who is devoid of a limb, of a bad character and who has many diseases. 18 In The Manava gr. I. 7.8, Manu III.ll and Kaj. 1.53 state that the girl to be chosen must not be brotherless. ancient times when a man had no son, he could make his daughter do for a son (1.e. she herself became putrika) and stipulate 11 Narada (stripumanjoga 17 Dirghakutsitarogarta ryanga Samsrstamaithuna I Dustanyagatabhava ca kanyadosah Prakirttitah 18 The text gives the reading as 'Vyanginim varsayetkanyam kulajan vapyaroginim' which seems to be wrong, the reading of ms. 'ka' viz. 'Vyanginim varjayetkanyam kulatam catiroginim' seems to be the better reading. The ms.'ga' reads 'Kulaja' according to the text but reads 'Atiroginim' for 'Aroginim" (221.73). Or it may mean that one should not marry a girl physically defective or one who has a 'disease even though she be born in the noble family. 36)

303 with the person marrying her that the son born of her would be his (i.e. the girl's father's) son and would affer Pindas as a son to his maternal grandfather. The result would be that the son of such a girl would not offer Pindas to his father and would not continue the line of his father. In medieval times this prohibition against marrying a brotherless girl gradually was ignored and as MM. Prof. Kane sarcastically remarks in modern times the pendulum has swang the other ways, a brother- 19 less girl being a coveted prize if her father be rich. The Brahma Purana also does not seem to regard the state of being a putrika as a defective trait in a bride. It evidences to the marriage according to the ''putrikavidhi' and states that the son of a putrika gets the right to perform the sraddha of his maternal grandfather (22 .77). In the family of the sage Atri, ten daughters were married to Prabhakara according to Putrikavidhi. (13.11-13) Again, the Brahma Purana states that in marriage-relationship equal status of both the parties was one of the main considerations. (111.27) Qualifications The Brahma Purana states that in settling a marriage both the parties see the family, beauty, age, wealth, learning, occupation and good character of each other. (165.19) 19 Kane P.V., Op.Cit., PP. 435-436..

304 Beauty was considered to be one of the most important requirements in a bride. The Brahma Purana relates what worries Surya had to suffer in order to settle the marriage of Visti, his daughter, who was terrible in appearance. At last Surya succeeds in finding out an equally ugly husband for her and eventually she is married to Visvarupa, the son of Ivasta (165.18-27). The same anxiety regarding an ugly sister is When he is unable to settle expressed by the sage Bharadvaja, the marriage of his sister Revati. At last he asks his pupil Katha to marry his ugly sister Revati by way of Gurudakshina and the pupil could not deny whatever is asked by the teacher, therefore Katha married Revati (A.121). This shows what a great part beauty played in the life of a girl.