# SB 10.1.31-32 > चतुःशतं पारिबर्हं गजानां हेममालिनाम > अश्वानामयुतं सार्धं रथानां च त्रिषट्शतम ॥३१॥ > दासीनां सुकुमारीणां द्वे शते समलङ्कृते > दुहित्रे देवकः प्रादाद्याने दुहितृवत्सलः ॥३२॥ ## Text > catuḥ-śataṁ pāribarhaṁ > gajānāṁ hema-mālinām > aśvānām ayutaṁ sārdhaṁ > rathānāṁ ca tri-ṣaṭ-śatam > > dāsīnāṁ sukumārīṇāṁ > dve śate samalaṅkṛte > duhitre devakaḥ prādād > yāne duhitṛ-vatsalaḥ ## Synonyms *catuḥ-śatam*—four hundred; *pāribarham*—dowry; *gajānām*—of elephants; *hema-mālinām*—decorated with garlands of gold; *aśvānām*—of horses; *ayutam*—ten thousand; *sārdham*—along with; *rathānām*—of chariots; *ca*—and; *tri-ṣaṭ-śatam*—three times six hundred (eighteen hundred); *dāsīnām*—of maidservants; *su-kumārīṇām*—very young and beautiful unmarried girls; *dve*—two; *śate*—hundred; *samalaṅkṛte*—fully decorated with ornaments; *duhitre*—unto his daughter; *devakaḥ*—King Devaka; *prādāt*—gave as a gift; *yāne*—while going away; *duhitṛ-vatsalaḥ*—who was very fond of his daughter Devakī. ## Translation **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.** ## Purport The system of giving a dowry to one's daughter has existed in Vedic civilization for a very long time. Even today, following the same system, a father who has money will give his daughter an opulent dowry. A daughter would never inherit the property of her father, and therefore an affectionate father, during the marriage of his daughter, would give her as much as possible. A dowry, therefore, is never illegal according to the Vedic system. Here, of course, the gift offered as a dowry by Devaka to Devakī was not ordinary. Because Devaka was a king, he gave a dowry quite suitable to his royal position. Even an ordinary man, especially a high-class *brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya* or *vaiśya,* is supposed to give his daughter a liberal dowry. Immediately after the marriage, the daughter goes to her husband's house, and it is also a custom for the brother of the bride to accompany his sister and brother-in-law to exhibit affection for her. This system was followed by Kaṁsa. These are all old customs in the society of *varṇāśrama-dharma,* which is now wrongly designated as Hindu. These long-standing customs are nicely described here.