Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.15.5-6
Visarga· Brahmā's creationGādhi Sets an Uncommon Marriage Condition
“King Gādhi had a daughter named Satyavatī, whom a brāhmaṇa sage named Ṛcīka requested from the King to be his wife. King Gādhi, however, regarded Ṛcīka as an unfit husband for his daughter, and therefore he told the brāhmaṇa, “My dear sir, I belong to the dynasty of Kuśa. Because we are aristocratic kṣatriyas, you have to give some dowry for my daughter. Therefore, bring at least one thousand horses, each as brilliant as moonshine and each having one black ear, whether right or left.””
What the purport teaches
- The brāhmaṇa sage Ṛcīka requested King Gādhi’s daughter Satyavatī as his wife. Gādhi regarded him as an unfit husband and demanded one thousand moonshine-brilliant horses, each with one black ear.
- Gādhi’s son Viśvāmitra was said to be a brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya combined. He attained the status of a brahmarṣi.
- The purport states that from Satyavatī’s marriage with Ṛcīka Muni would come a son with the spirit of a kṣatriya. Gādhi required an uncommon request to be fulfilled before the marriage.
Try this today
Write one sentence distinguishing Gādhi’s judgment of Ṛcīka from the condition he demanded.
Ask yourself
How did Gādhi’s judgment of Ṛcīka shape his marriage condition?
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.