________________
38
RISABHA DEVA time a great king who was named Sudţişti. His queen was Sundarānandā. Devi; who was as ac'complished as she was beautiful. Sridhara's
soul was born to Sundarānandā Devi, on the termination of his deva-life. His parents called him Subidhi. He was a very bright and handsome child, and soon acquired amazing proficiency in different arts and sciences
When he grew up he was married to his maternal uncle's daughter whose name was Manoramā. To-day we do not, in India, countenance such marriages amongst close relations; but these were quite common in the past. The reason why marriages amongst near kinsmen were forbidden was rather political than religious. If a king had a dozen boys and an equal number of girls, and married them all in his own gotra (family), in the moment of need there would be only his kinsinen to fight his foes, which they · would have done in any case. But if he married his children into families outside his own, then there would be no less than 12+12+1=25 armies of so many tribes or kings to stand by him on the battlefield! As marriage furnishes a real opportunity of making lasting friendships, the ancient law-giver laid down the above rule in the interest of society and dharma. To-day we have lost sight of its reason, and are blindly following
