Note 24 — Chapter X · MAGH, JANUARY.

This and kindred incidents show the ancient Hindoos did not hold caste as favorable, nor regard it as objectionable in affairs of marriage, as they of the present age do. Now, as we have observed in the first part of the volume, wealth, learning, personal accomplishments, bow down to caste. A second-caste man cannot, on any account whatever, marry his children to those of the first, or to Brahmuns. But in the present case we see the young princess offers her hand to an unrivalled intellect, not caring as to the quarter or caste in which it might be found. There are several instances of this kind, of fathers offering their daughters to a suitable man. Thus Jŏnuk, the father of the goddess Shita, sent a proclamation to the world that “Whoever shall be able to break an arrow in two, shall have Shita for his recompense.” (This fatal arrow belonged to Shiba, the Destroyer, and was left in the palace of Jŏnuk.) In the legend we read of King Droupad offering his daughter to any who would pierce the eyes of a gold-fish which had been hung six miles above the ground, not looking at it directly for his aim, but only seeing its shadow in a vessel of water. Doymontie marries a king who, at her wish, boiled rice without fire and water. Bidda took a vow to enter into literary and theological controversy with a man before she would marry him. In the above cases invitations had of course been extended to kings and nobles in general, and not of any particular caste.