CHAPTER I.
ON MARRIAGE.
When a girl of the same caste, and a virgin, is married in accordance with the precepts of Holy Writ, the results of such an union are: the acquisition of Dharma and Artha, offspring, affinity, increase of friends, and untarnished love.

For this reason a man should fix his affections upon a girl who is of good family, whose parents are alive, and who is three years or more younger than himself.

She should be born of a highly respectable family, possessed of wealth, well connected, and with many relations and friends.

She should also be beautiful, of a good disposition, with lucky marks on her body, and with good hair, nails, teeth, ears, eyes, and breasts, neither more nor less than they ought to be, and no one of them entirely wanting, and not troubled with a sickly body.

The man should, of course, also possess these qualities himself.
But at all events, says Ghotakamukha, a girl who has been already joined with others (_i.e._, no longer a maiden) should never be loved, for it would be reproachable to do such a thing.
Now in order to bring about a marriage with such a girl as described above, the parents and relations of the man should exert themselves, as also such friends on both sides as may be desired to assist in the matter.