Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.1.31-32
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesFamily Affection in Marriage Customs
“Devakī’s father, King Devaka, was very much affectionate to his daughter. Therefore, while she and her husband were leaving home, he gave her a dowry of four hundred elephants nicely decorated with golden garlands. He also gave ten thousand horses, eighteen hundred chariots, and two hundred very beautiful young maidservants, fully decorated with ornaments.”
What the purport teaches
- King Devaka was very affectionate toward Devakī and gave her gifts suitable to his royal position. These included four hundred elephants, ten thousand horses, eighteen hundred chariots, and two hundred maidservants.
- The purport explains dowry as a long-standing Vedic custom. Since a daughter did not inherit her father’s property in that system, an affectionate father gave her as much as possible at marriage.
- A bride’s brother would accompany his sister and brother-in-law to show affection, as Kaṁsa did. The purport describes these as customs of varṇāśrama-dharma.
Try this today
Give a family member a small gift or some practical assistance within your means.
Ask yourself
How do the gifts and accompaniment express family affection in this account?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.