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Hindu
Vivah Samskaras in the Vedas
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According
to the Vedas, the Hindu marriage is based on the marriage of Soma
with Surya, and is narrated by Rishi Surya in the RigVeda. This
could be based on an imagined marriage ceremony or could be the
marriage of the seer herself.
The
following collection of verses regarding the Hindu marriage ceremony
is compiled mainly from the RigVeda and has been translated from
sanskrit:
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Shubha-dristi |
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Groom:
Aghorchakshur apatighniedhi shiva pashubhyah sumanAh suvarchAh.
Virasur devakAmA syenA sham na bhava dvipade sham chatuspade.
RigVeda 10.85.44
Trishtup chhanda.
Be (edhi) soft gazed (aghor-chakshuh),
not a widow (a-pati-ghni) benefactor
of animals (pashubhyah shiva), pleasant
hearted (su-manAh), bright looking
(su-varchAh), mother of heroes (vira-suh),
devoted to God (deva-kAmA). Be peaceable
with (sham bhava) our (nah)
people (dvipade) and animals (chatuspade).
Groom takes the bride to the altar and both sit down. AchArya recounts
the marriage of Soma with Surya. |
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Somatattva |
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AchArya:
SatyenottabhitA bhumih suryenottabhitA dyuoh.
RitenAdityAs tishthanti divi somo adhi shritah.
RigVeda 10.85.1
Anushtup chhanda
Earth (bhumih) is hoisted up (uttabhitA)
by satya (satyena). The sky (dyouh)
is hoisted up (uttabhitA) by surya (suryena).
The Adityas (AdityAh) stand on Rita (ritena
tishthanti). Soma (somah) is supported
by sky (divi adhishritah). |
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SomenAdityA valinah
somena prithivi mahi.
Atho nakshatrAnAm eshAmupasthe soma Ahitah.
RigVeda 10.85.2
Anushtup chhanda
By Soma (somena) the Adityas (AdityAh)
are powerful (valinah).
By Soma (somena) the earth (prithivi)
is glorious (mahi). And
(atha) Soma stays (somah
Ahitah) close to the stars (eshAm
nakshatrAnAm upasthe).
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Somam
manyate papivan yat sampishanti oshadhim.
Somam yam brahmAno vidurna tasyAshnAti kaschana.
RigVeda 10.85.3
Anushtup chhanda
The creeper that people crush (yat oshadhim
sam-pishanti), (the drinkers)
imagine (manyate) (that) they are
drinking soma elixir (somam papivAn).
That soma (yam somam) which the brAhmins
(brahmanah) know of (viduh),
nobody ever eats it (na kaschan tasya ashnAti).
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Soma desires a wife |
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Somo
vadhuyrabhavat ashvinAstAmubhA vara.
SuryAm yat patye shamsantim manasA savitA dadAt.
RigVeda 10.85.9
Anushtup chhanda
Soma (somah) becomes (abhavat)
desirous of a wife (vadhuyuh). Both
Ashvinas (ubha ashvinA) became (their)
welcomers (vara AstAm). When (yat)
suryA (suryAm) became desirous of
groom (patye shamshantim), (then)
savitA (savitA) mentally (manasA)
offered (her) (adadAt).
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SuryA is described |
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ChittirA upabarhanam chakshurA
abhyanjanam.
Dyuorbhumih kosha Ashidyad suryA patim.
RigVeda 10.85.7
Anushtup chhanda
When SuryA went towards her husband (yat
suryA patim agAt), (then) the sky and earth (dyuoh
bhumih) became the carriage (koshah
Asit), (her) awareness (chittih)
became (Ah) the back cushion (upabarhanam),
(her) vision (chakshuh) became
(Ah) eye make-up (abhyanjanam).
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Mano
asyA an AsiddyourAsiduta chhadih.
Shukrou anadvahou Astam yadayAtsuryA griham.
RigVeda 10.85.10
Anushtup chhanda
When SuryA went to (husband's) home (yat
suryA griham ayAt), (then) her (asyAh)
mind (manah) became (Asit)
(her) chariot (anah), and (uta)
sky (dyouh) became (Asit)
(its) roof (chhadih), two stars (shukrou)
became (AstAm) (her) ride (Anadvahou).
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Dve
te chakre surye brahmAnah rituthA viduh.
Athoikam chakram yadguhA tadaddhatayah idviduh.
RigVeda 10.85.16
Anushtup chhanda
O suryA (surye), brAhmins know (brahmAnah
viduh) (about) your two seasonal cycles (te
dve rituthA chakre). But one of these cycles (atha
ekam chakram) which is secret (yad
guhA), that is known to the poet (tad
addhatayah it viduh).
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Bow to all |
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SuryAoi
devebhyo mitrAya varunAya cha.
Ye bhutasya prachetas idam tebhyokaram namah.
RigVeda 10.85.17
Anushtup chhanda
They who wishes well of creatures (ye bhutasya
prachetasah) them SuryA, Mitra, Varuna and others (tebhyah
suryAoi devebhyah mitrAya varunAya cha) I bow to them (idam
namah akaram).
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To the bride |
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Somah
prathamah vivide gandharvo vivida uttarah.
Tritiyo agnishte patisturiaste manushyajah.
RigVeda 10.85.40
Anushtup chhanda
Soma recieved first (somah prathamah vivide),
Gandharva recieved afterwards (gandharvah
uttarah vivide). Agni is your third husband (Agnih
te tritiyah patih), son of man is your fourth (manushyajah
te turyah).
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The fire is lit and said to |
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Agne
shardha mahate soubhagAya tava dyumnAni uttamAni santu.
Sam jAspatyam suyamam Akrinushva shatruyatAm abhi tisthA mahAmsi.
RigVeda 5.28.3
Trishtup chhanda
O Agni show your might (Agne shardha)
your best illuminations (tava uttamAni dyumnAni)
may bring great luck (mahate soubhagAya
santu). Make the spousal family (jampatyam
Akrinushva) evenly balanced (suyamam
sam), resist the might of (mahamsi
abhi tistha) the unfriendly (shatruyatam).
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Groom's Ajyahuti |
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(she
will touch his right shoulder with her right hand)
Om dyuos te pristham rakshatu vayur uru ashvinou cha.
StanandhayAmsa te putrAn savitA abhirakshatu.
AvAsasah paridhAnAt vrihaspatir
Vishve devAbhirakshantu paschat svAhA.
SAmamantrabrAhmana 1.1.12
Tri-avasana shatpada kakummati shakkari chhanda
(May) the sky (dyuoh) protect your
back (te prishtham rakshatu), Vayu
and the two Ashvinas (vAyu ashvinou cha)
(protect your) legs (uru). (May)
your unweaned sons (te stanandhayAn putrAn)
be protected by savitA (savitA abhirakshatu).
(May) vrihaspati (vrihaspatih) (protect
you) till you are clothed (AvAsasah paridhAnAt),
afterwards (paschAt) may the vishadevas
protect (vishve devAh abhirakshantu).
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kta
pareitu mrityur amritam me agAt.
Vaivasvato no abhayam krinotu svAhA.
SAmamantrabrAhmana 1.1.15
Anushtup chhanda
(May) death (mrityuh) be sent far
(parA etu), immortality (amritam)
come near (me Agat). Son of VivasvAn
(vaivasvatah) give us shelter from
fear (na abhayam krinotu).
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Exchange of seats and acceptance of hand |
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PushA
tveto nayatu hastagrihya ashvinA tvA pravahatAm rathena.
GrihAn gachha grihapatni yathAso vashini tvam vidatham A vadasi.
RigVeda 10.85.26
Anushtup chhanda
(May) PushA (pushA) lead you from
here (itah nayatu) holding your hand
(hastagrihya tva). The two Ashvinas
(ashvinA) carry you in chariot (tvA
rathena pra vahatAm). Go home (grihAn
gachha), so that you become the lady of the household (yathA
tvam grihapatni asah), take control (vashini)
(and) give orders (vidatham A vadAsi).
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Groom:
Gribhnami te soubhagatvaya hastam |
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MayA
patyA jaradashtir yathA sah.
Bhago aryamA savitA purandhir mahyam tvAdur gArhapatyAya devAh.
RigVeda 10.85.36
Anushtup chhanda
For good luck (soubhagatvAya) I accept
your hand (te hastam gribhnAmi),
so that (yathA) in my husbandship
(mayA patyA) you reach old age (jarat
ashtih asah). The devas Bhaga, AryamA, SavitA and Purandhi
(Bhago aryamA saviA purandhir devAh)
have given you to me (mahyam tvA aduh)
for (becoming your) husband (gArhapatyAya).
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Bride's lajahom |
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Bride:
Om dirghAyur astu me patih shatam varshAni jivatu.
EdhantAm jnAtayo mama svAhA.
SAmamantrabrAhmana 1.2.2
GAyatri chhanda
(May) my husband (me patih) live
long (dirghAyuh astu), live one hundred
years (shatam varshAni jivatu). My
relatives (mama jnAtayah) prosper
(edhantAm).
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Om aryamanam
nu devam kanyA agnim ayakshata.
sa mAm devo aryamA preto munchatu mAmutah svAhA.
SAmamantrabrAhmana 1.2.3
Anushtup chhanda
(As a) daughter (kanyA) (I) made
vows (ayakshata nu) to deva Aryama
and Agni (aryamanam devam agnim).
(May the) Aryama deva (sah aryamA deva)
liberate me from it (mam itah pramanchatu),
(May Agni) liberate me from that (ma amutah).
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