Mahabharata – 180

by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Marriage of Madri

Sometime after, Bhishma the intelligent son of Santanu desired to get Pandu married to a second wife. Accompanied by an army composed of four kinds of soldiers, and great rishis and aged counsellors and brahmanas,Bhisma reached  the capital of the king of Madra. And that bull of the Valhikas--the king of Madra--hearing that Bhishma had arrived, went out to receive him.

At the palace,the king of Madra offered Bhishma a carpet to seat,water to wash his feet and usual oblation of various ingredients symbolic of respect. And when he was seated at ease,the king asked him about the reason of his visit.Then Bhishma—the foremost  of the Kurus--addressed the king of Madra and said ---Oh King! I have come for the hand of a maiden. It has been heard by us that you have a sister named Madri endowed with great beauty and every womanly virtue.I would pray for her for Pandu. You are, Oh king! In every respect worthy of a relationship with us,and we are also worthy of you. Reflecting on all this, Oh king! of Madra, accept us duly.The king of Madra, thus addressed by Bhishma, replied, --- To my mind, there is none else than one of your family with whom I can enter into a relationship. But there is a custom in our family set by our ancestors,call it good or bad.I am incapable of breaking the custom.It is well-known, and therefore is known to you as well. I have no doubt about it.

On hearing this, Bhishma the intelligent replied, saying--- Oh king! Madra, this,is no doubt,is a virtue. Your ancestors set the custom. There is no fault with it. It is also well-known to me.Oh Salya! this custom in respect of  your family had the approval of the wise and the righteousness.Saying this Bhishma of great energy,gave to Salya much gold,precious stones of various colours,elephants and horses and cars,and much cloth and many ornaments and gems and pearls and corals. And Salya accepting with a cheerful heart those precious gifts, gave away his sister decked in ornaments to that bull of the Kuru race. Then the wise Bhishma,the son of Ganga,rejoiced took Madri with him and returned to the Kuru capital.

The wedding of Madri suggests that dowry should be given to the bride in certain circustances in the society of the Mahabharata. Or else brides should be purchased. 

Then selecting an auspicious day and moment as indicated by the wise for the ceremony, King Pandu was duly married to Madri. And after the marriage ceremony was over,the king Pandu established his beautiful bride in handsome apartments. Then he enjoyed the company of his two wives as best as he liked.