XXIV.
1. Now a Br�hmana may take four wives in the direct order of the (four) castes;
2. A Kshatriya, three;
3. A Vaisya, two;
4. A S�dra, one only.
5. Among these (wives), if a man marries one of his own caste, their hands shall be joined.
6. In marriages with women of a different class, a Kshatriya bride must hold an arrow in her hand;
7. A Vaisya bride,. a whip;
8. A S�dra bride, the skirt of a mantle.
9. No one should marry a woman belonging to the same Gotra, or descended from the same Rishi ancestors, or from the same Pravaras.
[XXIV. 1-4. Weber, Ind. Stud. X, 21, 74; M. III, 12-14; Y. I, 56, 57.--5. M. III, 43; Y. I, 62.--6-8. M. III, 44; Y. I, 62.--9, 10. Weber loc. cit. 75; M. III, 5; Y. I, 53; �past. II, 5, 11, 15, 16; Gaut. IV, 2-5.--12-16. M. III, 8.--12. Y. I, 53--17-26. M. III, 20, 21, 27-34; Y. I, 58-61; �past. II, 5, 11, 17--II, 5; 22, 2; Gaut. IV, 6-13.--27, 28. M. III, 23-26, 39; �past. II, 5, 12, 3; Gaut. IV, 14, 15.--29-32. M. III, 37, 38; Y. I, 58-60; Gaut. IV, 30-33.--38. M. V, 151; Y. I, 63.--39- Y. I, 63.--40. M. IX, 90; Y. I, 64.--41. M. IX, 93.
1. This chapter opens the section on Samsk�ras or sacraments, i. e. the ceremonies on conception and so forth. (Nand.) This section forms the second part of the division treating of Akira. See above, XIX.
9. According to Nand., the term Gotra refers to descent from one of the seven Rishis, or from Agastya as the eighth; the term �rsha (Rishi ancestors), to descent from the �rshtishenas or Mudgalas, {footnote p. 107} or from some other subdivision of the Bhrigus or �ngirasas, excepting the G�madagnas, Gautamas, and Bh�radv�gas; and the term Pravara, to the Mantrakrits of one's own race, i. e. the ancestors invoked by a Br�hmana at the commencement of a sacrifice. Nand.'s interpretation of the last term is no doubt correct; but it seems preferable to take Gotra in the sense of 'family name' (laukika gotra), and to refer the term sam�n�rsha to descent from the same Rishi (vaidika gotra). See Dr. B�hler's notes on �past. II, 5, 11, 15, and Gaut. XVIII, 6; Max M�ller, History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, pp. 379-388; Weber, Ind. Stud. X, 69-41. If �rsha were connected with pravara, the whole compound sam�n�rshapravar� would denote 'a woman descended from the same Rishi '= saman�rsh�, Y. I, 53, and sam�napravar�, Gaut. XVIII, 6.]
10. Nor (should he marry) one descended from his maternal ancestors within the fifth, or from his paternal ancestors within the seventh degree;
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