Is Dowry Justified?

Hare Krishna dandvats Mataji, PAMHO, AGTSP, Regarding dowry lets see what Srimad Bhagavatam is quoting as per Canto 3 Chapter 22 Text 23, Svayambhuva Manu when he married his daughter Devahuti to Kardambh Muni

SYNONYMS

śatarūpā — Empress Śatarūpā; mahā-rājñī — the Empress; pāribarhān — dowry; mahā-dhanān — valuable presents; dam-patyoḥ — to the bride and bridegroom; paryadāt — gave; prītyā — out of affection; bhūṣā — ornaments; vāsaḥ — clothes; paricchadān — articles for household use.

TRANSLATION

Empress Śatarūpā lovingly gave most valuable presents, suitable for the occasion, such as jewelry, clothes and household articles, in dowry to the bride and bridegroom.

PURPORT

The custom of giving one's daughter in charity with a dowry is still current in India. The gifts are given according to the position of the father of the bride. Pāribarhān mahā-dhanān means the dowry which must be awarded to the bridegroom at the time of marriage. Here mahā-dhanān means greatly valuable gifts befitting the dowry of an empress. The words bhūṣā-vāsaḥ paricchadān also appear here. Bhūṣā means "ornaments," vāsaḥ means "clothing," and paricchadān means "various household articles." All things befitting the marriage ceremony of an emperor's daughter were awarded to Kardama Muni, who was until now observing celibacy as a brahmacārī. The bride, Devahūti, was very richly dressed with ornaments and clothing.

In this way Kardama Muni was married with full opulence to a qualified wife and was endowed with the necessary paraphernalia for household life. In the Vedic way of marriage such a dowry is still given to the bridegroom by the father of the bride; even in poverty-stricken India there are marriages where hundreds and thousands of rupees are spent for a dowry. The dowry system is not illegal, as some have tried to prove. The dowry is a gift given to the daughter by the father to show good will, and it is compulsory. In rare cases where the father is completely unable to give a dowry, it is enjoined that he must at least give a fruit and a flower. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, God can also be pleased even by a fruit and a flower. When there is financial inability and no question of accumulating a dowry by another means, one can give a fruit and flower for the satisfaction of the bridegroom.

Trust this clarifies your issues, Hare Krishna.

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Ram Charan Das March 9, 2013 at 2:21pm

Hare Krishna dandvats Mataji, PAMHO, AGTSP, Regarding dowry lets see what Srimad Bhagavatam is quoting as per Canto 3 Chapter 22 Text 23, Svayambhuva Manu when he married his daughter Devahuti to Kardambh Muni

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.22.23

śatarūpā mahā-rājñī

pāribarhān mahā-dhanān

dampatyoḥ paryadāt prītyā

bhūṣā-vāsaḥ paricchadān

SYNONYMS

śatarūpā — Empress Śatarūpā; mahā-rājñī — the Empress; pāribarhān — dowry; mahā-dhanān — valuable presents; dam-patyoḥ — to the bride and bridegroom; paryadāt — gave; prītyā — out of affection; bhūṣā — ornaments; vāsaḥ — clothes; paricchadān — articles for household use.

TRANSLATION

Empress Śatarūpā lovingly gave most valuable presents, suitable for the occasion, such as jewelry, clothes and household articles, in dowry to the bride and bridegroom.

PURPORT

The custom of giving one's daughter in charity with a dowry is still current in India. The gifts are given according to the position of the father of the bride. Pāribarhān mahā-dhanān means the dowry which must be awarded to the bridegroom at the time of marriage. Here mahā-dhanān means greatly valuable gifts befitting the dowry of an empress. The words bhūṣā-vāsaḥ paricchadān also appear here. Bhūṣā means "ornaments," vāsaḥ means "clothing," and paricchadān means "various household articles." All things befitting the marriage ceremony of an emperor's daughter were awarded to Kardama Muni, who was until now observing celibacy as a brahmacārī. The bride, Devahūti, was very richly dressed with ornaments and clothing.

In this way Kardama Muni was married with full opulence to a qualified wife and was endowed with the necessary paraphernalia for household life. In the Vedic way of marriage such a dowry is still given to the bridegroom by the father of the bride; even in poverty-stricken India there are marriages where hundreds and thousands of rupees are spent for a dowry. The dowry system is not illegal, as some have tried to prove. The dowry is a gift given to the daughter by the father to show good will, and it is compulsory. In rare cases where the father is completely unable to give a dowry, it is enjoined that he must at least give a fruit and a flower. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, God can also be pleased even by a fruit and a flower. When there is financial inability and no question of accumulating a dowry by another means, one can give a fruit and flower for the satisfaction of the bridegroom.

Trust this clarifies your issues, Hare Krishna.
- Shalabh Shailaja > Ram Charan Das March 13, 2013 at 9:39pm
  
  Hare Krishna Prabhuji, AGTSP!
  
  Thank you Prabhuji, for the enlightening verse; it was quite reasonable a practice...and it really hurts to now that people practice dowry even today and oppose inter-caste marriages, like what used to happen in older times/yugas. Well, this is what Kali-Yuga all about. We must all chant the Maha-mantra to purify our minds and thoughts.
  
  Radhe Radhe
  
  Your insignificant servant,

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