WYAVASTHA-DARPANA 696 both families contracting impurity on the death of a betrothed dunsel, it is clear that betrothment oonstitutes marrige. 886 In practice, however, betrothment not being considered marriage irrevocable, a betrothed damsel is, on the death of him to whom she was affianced, or for any other just cause, given in marriage to a different person: only the man who marries her is generally lowered in caste and society. The above practice seems to have been founded upon the following texts:—l. ‘If her husband die after a damsel has been given to him with water poured on his hands, and troth verbally plighted, but before she has been contracted to him by holy texts, that virgin belongs Įo her father alone.”—3. ‘ Once s a dismsel given in marriage; he who detains her shall incur the punishment of a thief; but if a worthier bidegroom offer, he may take the daimsel though given away, (provided the first were undeserving”) t—3. ‘Should a man depart aster giving the nuptial gratuity, it becomes the exclusive property of the damsel; she must be detained one year, and may (afterwards) be legally given in marriage to another; but is tidings arrive, she must wait three years, and aster that period the girl may be given to another at pleasure i.’ 387 If a damsel is betrothed to two or more persons, and the first bridegroom arrive before the second are completed, then, of all the persons to whom she is promised, he to whom 海 the first promise was made shall obtain her, and the other shall recover what he had given to the brille: but if the first bridegroom arrive when the (second) nuptials have been consummated, he shall receive bick what he had givent. • Washishtha, cited in Udustha-fatwa and Colebrooke's Digest, vol. II. p. 487. + Jáqnyavalkya, cited in Colebrooke's Digest, vol. II. p. 480. t Kátyáyana, cited in Colebrooke's Digest, vol. II. p. 491. 斜 Wynvastha.' A աthւritյ Vyavastha'
