2.23 The Samudra rajan gave several jewels as dowry

Sloka 23

कमले तोषयितुं त्वां

कान्तभुजान्तरनिशान्तमुपयान्तीम्

प्रायच्छदूर्मिहथैः

प्रत्नं रत्नगणमम्बुधिःहरणम्

kamale toṣayituṁ tvāṁ

kāntabhujāntaraniśāntamupayāntīm

prāyacchadūrmihathaiḥ

pratnaṁ ratnagaṇamambudhiḥharaṇam

கமலே தோஷயிதும் த்வாம்

காந்தபு₄ஜாந்தரனிஶாந்தமுபயாந்தீம்

ப்ராயச்ச₂தூ₃ர்மிஹஸ்தை₂:

ப்ரத்னம் ரத்னக₃ணமம்பு₃தி₄:ஹரணம்

Meaning:

Kamale! The Ocean King, with his wave hands, offered innumerable gemstones accumulated since time immemorial as dowry, to make you, the one who was to reach the chest of the beloved, happy.

கமலே! கணவனின் மார்பை அடையவிருக்கும் உன்னை மகிழ்விக்க, கடலரசன் தனது அலைகளாகிய கைகளால் வெகுகாலமாகத் தான் சேர்த்த எண்ணற்ற ரத்னங்களை சீதனமாகக் கொடுத்தான். 

Commentary (from www.sadagopan.org)

The poet explains the generosity of the Samudra king by mentioning that He gave 

hordes of the precious gems gathered by the waves that are the hands of the 

ocean. It is also made clear that the Kaustubha gem was originally SamudrarAjan’s 

that he gave away to Sriman NarAyaNan. The term “haraNam” is interesting. It 

means demanding and getting something. The poet has used this term to denote 

dowry. 

When a daughter is sent to her husband’s house she is regarded highly if she is 

accompanied by a lot of riches. Samudra rAjan wanted his daughter to be treated 

well by Her husband’s relatives that he sent the gems and jewels first and then his 

daughter to Her husband’s place.