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Marriage (विवाह: संस्कार:) (view source)
Revision as of 16:44, 2 January 2019
, 16:44, 2 January 2019→Major events of marriage: added content
== Major events of marriage ==
== Major events of marriage ==
Since marriage, unlike other Saṃskāras , has a lengthy process, there will be many events. So, some major events are being explained.
Since marriage, unlike other Saṃskāras , has a lengthy process, there will be many events. So, some major events are being explained.
* Madhuparka: Literally it means "pouring honey". While receiving the bridegroom at the bride's house, honey etc. are offered just to honour the groom's party.
* Parasparavīkṣaṇam: It means looking at each other. Just before the Muhūrta (fixed auspicious time) a piece of cloth is held between the bride and groom. At the time of Muhūrta the bride and groom look at each other while the groom recites a hymn (Ṛk – "abhrātṛghnīm"). Maṇgalāṣṭakas (auspicious verses such as "tadeva lagnam sudinam tadeva") are recited while the interposed cloth is held.
* Kanyādānam (Gift of bride): It is in this rite that the father of the bride tells the bridegroom –
<blockquote>धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च त्वया एषा नातिचरितव्या</blockquote><blockquote>dharme cārthe ca kāme ca tvayā eṣā nāticaritavyā</blockquote>Meaning : You should not ignore this girl in terms of Dharma, Artha (money matters etc.) and Kāma (sex related matters).
Hereafter the bride is called Patnī / Bhāryā / Sahadharmacāriṇī while the bridegroom is called Pati / Bhartā etc. Together both are called Dampatī.
The groom then responds – नातिचरामि | nāticarāmi meaning "I shall not ignore."
Jaimini in Pūrvamīmāṃsā (6.1.4.17) rules that both husband and wife have to do the rites jointly but not separately –
स्ववतोस्तु वचनादैककर्म्यं स्यात्
svavatostu vacanādaikakarmyaṃ syāt
In the case of a wife and husband with wealth, due to the Vedic sentence (dharme cārthe ca kāme ca nāticaritavyā) both are entitled to combinedly perform the same rite.
This is popularly referred to as दम्पत्योः सहाधिकारात् | dampatyoḥ sahādhikārāt meaning Since the wife and husband have to do things together.
Pāṇini (4.1.33) also confirms the above said aspect –
पत्युर्नो यज्ञसंयोगे patyurno yajñasaṃyoge
Patnī (wife) is a word produced on the root Pati (husband) if both of them together perform the rites.
* Pāṇigrahaṇam and Pradhānahoma: Pāṇigrahaṇam (marriage) literally means "holding the hand" (of Patnī by Pati). "Pradhānahoma" is the principal fire for oblations (later there will be "Śeṣahoma" or remaining fire oblations). After holding Patnī's hand Pati combinedly performs the homa.
* Lājahoma: Patnī offers fried grain (lājas) in fire for three times while Mantras are being recited.
* Agnipariṇayanam: It means going around the fire. Reciting some Mantras the Pati along with Patnī makes Pradakṣiṇam around the fire and the water jar.
* Aśmārohaṇa: The Patnī is made to tread on a millstone. The above three, viz. lājahoma, agnipariṇayana and aśmārohaṇa are done thrice, one after the other.
* Saptapadī: Literally it means a rite in which the Patnī is made by Pati to walk seven steps. According to tradition friendship is established between people by walking seven steps together or speaking seven words with each other –
<blockquote>साप्तपदीनं सख्यम् (पाणिनिसूत्रम् ५.२.२)</blockquote><blockquote>सख्यं साप्तपदीनं स्यात् (अमरकोशः २.८.१२)</blockquote><blockquote>sāptapadīnaṃ sakhyam (pāṇinisūtram 5.2.2)</blockquote><blockquote>sakhyaṃ sāptapadīnaṃ syāt (amarakośaḥ 2.8.12)</blockquote>This is a very important aspect of marriage. After completing the seven steps together with Pati, the Patnī would lose her father's Gotram (origin of inheritance from a sage) and needless to say would attain the Gotram of her Pati –<blockquote>स्वगोत्रात् भ्रश्यते नारी विवाहात् सप्तमे पदे (स्मृतिः)</blockquote><blockquote>svagotrāt bhraśyate nārī vivāhāt saptame pade (smṛtiḥ)</blockquote>The bride would lose her Gotram in the seventh step in the marriage.
Āpastamba clearly explains the procedure of Saptapadī –<blockquote>अथैनामुत्तरेणाग्निं दक्षिणेन पदा प्राचीमुदीचीं वा दिशम् अभिप्रक्रमयति एकमिष इति ॥</blockquote><blockquote>(आपस्तम्बगृह्यसूत्रम्, ४.१५)</blockquote><blockquote>athaināmuttareṇāgniṃ dakṣiṇena padā prācīmudīcīṃ vā diśam abhiprakramayati ekamiṣa iti ॥ (Āpastambagṛhyasūtram, 4.15)</blockquote>After Pāṇigrahaṇam, a cloth has to be spread on the north side of the fire in such a way that the end-part of the cloth is left in the east or north, rice is to be put on the cloth and the Pati makes the Patnī walk along on the rice towards east or north for seven steps placing the right foot first.
At every step the Pati recites a specific Mantra –
Step 1: एकमिषे विष्णुः त्वान्वेतु
ekamiṣe viṣṇuḥ tvānvetu
May Viṣṇu give you rice for your first step.
Step 2:ऊर्जे विष्णुः त्वान्वेतु
ūrje viṣṇuḥ tvānvetu
May Viṣṇu give you strength for your second step.
Step 3:त्रीणि व्रताय विष्णुः त्वान्वेतु
trīṇi vratāya viṣṇuḥ tvānvetu
May Viṣṇu give you the will power to perform Vratas (rites with specific conditions) for your third step.
Step 4:चत्वारि मायो भवाय विष्णुः त्वान्वेतु
catvāri māyo bhavāya viṣṇuḥ tvānvetu
May Viṣṇu give you comfort for your fourth step.
Step 5:पञ्च पशुभ्यो विष्णुः त्वान्वेतु
pañca paśubhyo viṣṇuḥ tvānvetu
May Viṣṇu give you cattle for your fifth step.
Step 6:षडृतुभ्यो विष्णुः त्वान्वेतु
ṣaḍṛtubhyo viṣṇuḥ tvānvetu
May Viṣṇu give you wealth of seasons for your sixth step.
Step 7:सप्त सप्तभ्यो होत्राभ्यो विष्णुः त्वान्वेतु
sapta saptabhyo hotrābhyo viṣṇuḥ tvānvetu
May Viṣṇu give you the mercy of the seven sages for your seventh step
After the Patnī is on the seventh step the Pati recites the Mantra "sakhā saptapadā . . . " – says Āpastamba –
सखेति सप्तमे पदे जपति
sakheti saptame pade japati
The Pati pronounces the Mantra starting "sakhā saptapadā" after the Patnī is on the seventh step.
The following (portion of) Mantra is recited by the Pati when the Patnī is on her seventh step:<blockquote>सखा सप्तपदा भव। सखायौ सप्तपदा बभूव। सख्यं ते गमेयम्। सख्यात्ते मा योषम्। सख्यान्मे मा योष्ठाः। समयाव सङ्कल्पावहै। संप्रियौ रोचिष्णू सुमनस्यमानौ . . . ।</blockquote><blockquote>sakhā saptapadā bhava । sakhāyau saptapadā babhūva । sakhyaṃ te gameyam. sakhyātte mā yoṣam । sakhyānme mā yoṣṭhāḥ । samayāva saṅkalpāvahai. saṃpriyau rociṣṇū sumanasyamānau . . . ।</blockquote>O! my wife, who made seven steps! Be a friend of mine; you who made seven steps, and me, both of us became friends. I got friendship and hereafter I would not part with you, do not part from me. Let us be together; let us take common decisions in household matters; let us have mutual affection; let us shine by mutual dependence and let us be with good minds . . .
* Gṛhapraveśa: After Saptapadī the Pati takes Patnī to his house while reciting the following Mantras, which are significant –
<blockquote>. . . मूर्धानं पत्युरारोह प्रजया च विराड् भव। सम्राज्ञी श्वशुरे भव सम्राज्ञी श्वश्व्रां भव ननान्दरि सम्राज्ञी भव।</blockquote><blockquote>. . . mūrdhānaṃ patyurāroha prajayā ca virāḍ bhava । samrājñī śvaśure bhava samrājñī śvaśvrāṃ bhava nanāndari samrājñī bhava ।</blockquote>You sit on the head of your husband, i.e. be important (like the head for body) for me, have good number of children (ten children are the limit), be loved by father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-law etc., i.e. maintain good relation with all of them.
There is Homa (oblation in fire) at the time of Gṛhapraveśa.
* Dhruvārundhatīdarśanam: While reciting some Mantras, the Pati shows both the stars, viz. Dhruva and Arundhatī to Patnī at night on the day of marriage.
* Āgneyasthālīpāka: Both, Patnī and Pati cook rice in a vessel and offer to fire (Agni) with Mantras. Patnī pounds the paddy and the Pati would see through cooking. After putting down the rice-vessel on Kuśas (holy grass) both Pati and Patnī, touching each other, have to offer the cooked rice as oblation to the fire, while Mantras are being recited. The rice is to be sprinkled with clarified butter (Abhighāra) twice, when the vessel is still on the hearth and after it is put down. In this rite Agni (fire) is the Devatā (deity). Sthālī is vessel and Pāka is cooking. So it is called Āgneyasthālīpāka.
* Maṅgalasūtradhāraṇam: Tying an auspicious string with golden beads around the neck of Patnī by Pati. Maṅgalasūtram (the auspicious string) is considered important for a Patnī whose husband is alive. It is also a sign of a married woman.
== Ardhāṅgī ==
The term is used to mean Patnī (wife). Literally it means "half of the body (of Pati)". This aspect is clearly stated in Veda itself:
अर्धो ह वा एष आत्मनो यज्जाया। शतपथब्राह्मणम्, ५.२.१.१॰, ८.७.२.३॥
अर्धो वा एष आत्मनो यत्पत्नी। तैत्तिरीयसंहिता, ६.१.८.५॥
ardho ha vā eṣa ātmano yajjāyā । śatapathabrāhmaṇam, 5.2.1.1…, 8.7.2.3॥
ardho vā eṣa ātmano yatpatnī । taittirīyasaṃhitā, 6.1.8.5॥
Jāyā / Patnī (wife) is certainly half of the body of Pati (husband).
Āpastamba rules out any difference between Pati and Patnī –
जायापत्योः न विभागोऽस्ति। पाणिग्रहणाद्धि सहत्वं कर्मसु तथा पुण्यफलेषु च।
आपस्तम्बधर्मसूत्रम्, २.६.१३.१६, १७॥
jāyāpatyoḥ na vibhāgo'sti । pāṇigrahaṇāddhi sahatvaṃ karmasu tathā puṇyaphaleṣu ca । Āpastambadharmasūtram, 2.6.13.16, 17॥
There is no any separation between Pati and Patnī, i.e. both are to be treated as a single entity. By Pāṇigrahaṇam (marriage) there will be togetherness between them in all rites and in the activities meant for Puṇyam (opposite of Pāpam / sin).
Patnī would partake the Puṇyam but not Pāpam of Pati.
[[Category:Samskaras]]