Madrāśva

Madrāśva was a rājarṣi (a king who was also a ṛṣi). The Anuśāsana Parva of the Mahābhārata remembers him for giving his own daughter, who had a slender waist, to the ṛṣi Hiraṇyahasta. Through this gift he reached the lokas (worlds) ruled by the devas.

The gift of his daughter

Bhīṣma names the kings who are examples of dāna (giving). In this list Madrāśva is remembered as a rājarṣi who gave his own daughter, of fine and slender waist, to the ṛṣi Hiraṇyahasta. Through this he went to the lokas ruled by the devas. The source is the Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 137.

Other gifts of daughters

The Anuśāsana Parva also names Lokapāda, who gave his daughter Śāntā to Ṛṣyaśṛṅga. It names Bhagīratha, who gave his daughter Haṃsī to Kautsa. Each of these is a kanyā-dāna (the gift of a daughter in marriage to a worthy ṛṣi). The Anuśāsana Parva repeats this kind of gift as a great dāna that wins the highest lokas.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 137