DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49827#0247
232
s.
Lkgturi
X.
Culka.
THE HISTORY OF FEMALE PROPERTY.
on supersession by a second wife. 5. The gift'subsequent.
6. The Culka, or nuptial gift of the husband. Yajnavalkya
adds the word adya, “etc.,” to his enumeration according
to the one readingof this much-canvassed text, but it will
be seen afterwards that the correctness of this reading is
liable to considerable doubt.
As regards the meaning of Gulka, it is clear that this
term, conformably with its original signification of “ price
of a commodity purchased,” must have been a term denot-
ing the bride-price, which, as shown in Lecture IV, was a
recognized institution all over India, and has continued so,
either openly or under various disguises, down to the
present day. Nevertheless, in order to be included among
the constituents of Strfdhana by Vishnu and Yajnavalkya,
it could not have retained its original signification of
‘ bride-price ’* 1 in the time of these two authors, though
Vijnanegvara and many other Commentators, in comment-
ing on these two texts, say, it denotes the price paid to the
parents for the sale of their daughters. Vriddha Mann
(Varad., p. 50) denotes wealth other than Culka, which
has been received from the husband, as Arhana, ‘ a token of
respect;’ thus showing that the Culka was, in his opinion,
a gift from the husband or bridegroom to the bride. The
same opinion is put forth by Vyasa, and Katyayana
in one place speaks of a bridegroom who goes abroad after
having given Culka and Stridhana to his future wife.
Another text of Katyayana, which contains his definition
of Culka, is far from clear, as may be seen from the
various constructions put on it by the Commentators,
Jagannatha (V. 9, cccclxviii), as translated by Colebrooke,
has the following version : “ The trifle which is received
by a woman as the price (or reward) of household
(labour), of (using household) utensils, of (keeping) beasts
of burden, of (watching) . milch-cattle, of (preserving)
ornaments of dress, or of (superintending) servants, is
called her ‘perquisite.’” In his comment on this text,
Jagannatha quotes Migra as the authority for this inter-
her husband (Mayr. pf 164 ; Mayne. § 5631). This view rests on Nanda-
pandita’s gloss on Vishnu (XVII. 22). However, Nandapandita s inter-
pretation is hardly reconcilable with the Laws of Sanskrit Syntax and
Composition, and opposed to all ancient authority, as may be seen from
the remarks of Vijnanepvara, Dhava. Narayana, Kulluka, Raghavananda.
and others on the identical passage of Mann.
1 See West & Buhler, 273—283.
s.
Lkgturi
X.
Culka.
THE HISTORY OF FEMALE PROPERTY.
on supersession by a second wife. 5. The gift'subsequent.
6. The Culka, or nuptial gift of the husband. Yajnavalkya
adds the word adya, “etc.,” to his enumeration according
to the one readingof this much-canvassed text, but it will
be seen afterwards that the correctness of this reading is
liable to considerable doubt.
As regards the meaning of Gulka, it is clear that this
term, conformably with its original signification of “ price
of a commodity purchased,” must have been a term denot-
ing the bride-price, which, as shown in Lecture IV, was a
recognized institution all over India, and has continued so,
either openly or under various disguises, down to the
present day. Nevertheless, in order to be included among
the constituents of Strfdhana by Vishnu and Yajnavalkya,
it could not have retained its original signification of
‘ bride-price ’* 1 in the time of these two authors, though
Vijnanegvara and many other Commentators, in comment-
ing on these two texts, say, it denotes the price paid to the
parents for the sale of their daughters. Vriddha Mann
(Varad., p. 50) denotes wealth other than Culka, which
has been received from the husband, as Arhana, ‘ a token of
respect;’ thus showing that the Culka was, in his opinion,
a gift from the husband or bridegroom to the bride. The
same opinion is put forth by Vyasa, and Katyayana
in one place speaks of a bridegroom who goes abroad after
having given Culka and Stridhana to his future wife.
Another text of Katyayana, which contains his definition
of Culka, is far from clear, as may be seen from the
various constructions put on it by the Commentators,
Jagannatha (V. 9, cccclxviii), as translated by Colebrooke,
has the following version : “ The trifle which is received
by a woman as the price (or reward) of household
(labour), of (using household) utensils, of (keeping) beasts
of burden, of (watching) . milch-cattle, of (preserving)
ornaments of dress, or of (superintending) servants, is
called her ‘perquisite.’” In his comment on this text,
Jagannatha quotes Migra as the authority for this inter-
her husband (Mayr. pf 164 ; Mayne. § 5631). This view rests on Nanda-
pandita’s gloss on Vishnu (XVII. 22). However, Nandapandita s inter-
pretation is hardly reconcilable with the Laws of Sanskrit Syntax and
Composition, and opposed to all ancient authority, as may be seen from
the remarks of Vijnanepvara, Dhava. Narayana, Kulluka, Raghavananda.
and others on the identical passage of Mann.
1 See West & Buhler, 273—283.