न कन्यायाः पिता विद्वान् गृह्णीयात् शुल्कमण्वपि । गृह्णंशुल्कं हि लोभेन स्यान्नरोऽपत्यविक्रयी ?? ॥ ५१ ॥
No father who knows (the law) must take even the smallest gratuity for his daughter; for a man who, through avarice, takes a gratuity, is a seller of his offspring.
स्त्रीधनानि तु ये मोहादुपजीवन्ति बान्धवाः । नारीयानानि वस्त्रं वा ते पापा यान्त्यधोगतिम् ॥ ५२ ॥
But those (male) relations who, in their folly, live on the separate property of women, (e.g. appropriate) the beasts of burden, carriages, and clothes of women, commit sin and will sink into hell.
Some call the cow and the bull (given) at an Arsha wedding ’a gratuity;’(but) that is wrong, since (the acceptance of) a fee, be it small or great, is a sale (of the daughter).
यासां नाददते शुल्कं ज्ञातयो न स विक्रयः । अर्हणं तत् कुमारीणामानृशंस्यं च केवलम् ॥ ५४ ॥
When the relatives do not appropriate (for their use) the gratuity (given), it is not a sale; (in that case) the (gift) is only a token of respect and of kindness towards the maidens.