The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part XII !

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Step 12: Prâviśya Homam

Courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

The ritual known as Prâviśya Homam is performed by the couple to the accompaniment of thirteen mantras from the Rg Veda. Jayadi Homam is also part of the Prâviśya Homam. This Homam offers the salutations by newly married couple to  Lord Agni and pray for strength to discharge the duties of a Grihasthas for the next one hundred years. As a next step,  the bride shifts her position from the right side of her husband to his left and once again recites a Veda mantra invoking the gods for blessings of children and wealth to perform the duties of a householder.

At the end of the above homam, a child is placed on the lap of the bride and she offers a fruit to the child while reciting a prescribed Veda mantra. Yet another mantram asks the assembled guests to bless the bride and then retire to their own individual homes peacefully.  During the first evening of the stay in her new home, the couple see the stars known as Dhruva (pole star) and Arundhati, husband points out the pole star and prays for the strength and stability of the household through a Veda mantra and also points out the Arundhati star to his wife and describes to her  the story of Arundhati and her legendary chastity.

The rich and meaningful ceremony of the Hindu marriage (Kalyâṇa Mahotsavam of the temples) is thus carried out in concert with sacred Veda Mantras. The bride and bridegroom should enunciate clearly the Veda mantras and reflect on their meanings during the different stages of the marriage ceremony. In this way, they can be sure of a long, happy and prosperous married life and play their appropriate role in society to the fullest extent. Srinivasa Kalyanam is performed in the temples to remind us of these ancient Vedic traditions behind a Hindu marriage.

lokâḥ samastâḥ sukhino bhavantu |
sarvamangaḷâni santu ||

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part XI !

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

Step 11: Gṛha Praveśam

This ceremony relates to the journey of the wife to her husband’s home. The husband carries the sacred fire (Homa Agni) in a earthen vessel during this journey home. There are many Veda mantras associated with this journey. These mantras pray to the appropriate Vedic gods to remove all obstacles that one can experience in a journey. The bride is requested to become the mistress of the house and is reminded of her important role among the relatives of her husband. After reaching her new home, she puts her right foot first in the house and recites the following Veda mantra:

I enter this house with a happy heart. May I give birth to children, who observe the path of righteousness (dharma)! May this house that I enter today be prosperous forever and never be deficient in food. May this house be populated by people of virtue and pious thoughts.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part X !

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

Step 10: Lâja Homam

This is ritual conducted immediately after Ammi Methikal.   A ceremony offering puffed rice is on the sacred fire.  The wife  hold her hands together and her brother fill the cupped hands with puffed rice. The husband adds a drop of ghee to the puffed rice and recites five Veda mantras. At the end of each of the recitation, the puffed rice is thrown into the sacred fire as havis (offering) to Lord Agni.  Through these mantras, the wife prays for long life of her husband and for a marriage filled with peace and harmony.  At the end of the Lâja homam, the husband unties the Darbha (grass) tied already around the waist of his wife with another mantra. The husband states through this mantra that he unites his wife and ties her now with the bonds of Varuna and invites her to be a full partner in his life to enjoy the blessings of wedded life.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part IX !

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

Step 9: Stepping on the grinding stone - Ammi Methikkal

As a beginning of  this ritual husband holds the right toe of his wife and lifts her leg and places it on a flat granite grinding stone known as “Ammi” in Tamil. The Ammi  which is placed on  the right side of the sacred fire. The husband recites a Veda mantra when he places the right foot of his wife on the Ammi:

• May you stand on this firm stone. 
• May you be rock-firm during your stay on this grinding stone.

• May you stand up to those who oppose you while you carry out your time-honored responsibilities as a wife sanctioned by the Vedas and tradition.

• May you develop tolerance to your enemies and put up a fair fight to defend your legitimate rights as the head of the household in a firm manner, equal to the steady strength of this grinding stone.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part VIII !

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

Step 8: Pradhâna Homam

Immediately after sapta padi, the couple take their seat on the western side of the sacred fire to conduct Pradhâna Homam. During the Homam, the bride must place her right hand on her husband’s body so that she gets the full benefit of the Homam through symbolic participation. In total Sixteen mantras to be recited, pouring a spoon of clarified butter into the sacred fire at the end of recitation of each of the mantras.  These mantras contains  salutations to Lord Soma, Gandharva, Agni, Indra, Vayu,  Aswini Devas, Savita, Brihaspati, Viswa Devas and Varuna for blessing the couple and beseeches them to confer long wedded life with  good health, wealth, children and free from all kinds of worries. One prayer — the sixth mantra — has a sense of humor and provides deep insight into human psychology. The text of this mantra is: “daśâsyaṁ putrân dehi, patim ekâdaśaṁ kṛti”. Here, the groom asks Indra to bless the couple with ten children and requests that he be blessed to become the eleventh child of his bride at the time of old age.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

 

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part VII !

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

Step 7: Sapta Padhi

The groom walks with the bride to the right side of the sacred fire.  During the Pâṇi Grahaṇam ceremony, he holds his wife’s right hand in his right hand  .  At one point he pause and bends down to hold the right toe of his wife with his right hand and helps her take seven steps around the  sacred fire.  At the beginning of each step, he recites a Veda mantra to invoke the blessings of  Lord Vishnu. Through these seven mantras, he prays Lord Vishnu to  bless her with food, strength, piety, progeny, wealth, comfort and health. At the conclusion of the seven steps, he addresses his wife with a moving statement from the Veda summarized below:

Dear Wife! By taking these seven steps, you have become my dearest friend. I pledge my unfailing loyalty to you.

1.     Let us stay together for the rest of our lives.

2.     Let us not separate from each other ever.

3.     Let us be of one mind in carrying out our responsibilities as householders (Gṛhasthas).

4.     Let us love and cherish each other and enjoy nourishing food and good health.

5.     Let us discharge our prescribed Vedic duties to our elders, ancestors, rishis, fellow beings, and deities.

6.     Let our aspirations be united. I will be the Saaman and may you be the Rk (Saaman here refers to the music and Rk refers to the Vedic text that is being cast into music). Let me be the upper world and let you be the Bhumi or Mother Earth. I will be the Sukla or life force and may you be the bearer of that Sukla. Let me be the mind and let you be the speech.

7.     May you follow me to conceive children and gain worldly as well as spiritual wealth.  May all auspiciousness come your way.

This series of Veda mantras starting with “sakhâ saptapadâ bhava…” and ending with “pumse putrâya…” are rich with meaning and imagery.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

 

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part VI !

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

Step 6: Pâṇi Grahaṇam

After Mângalya Dhâranam, the groom lowers his right palm and encloses it over the right hand of the bride. He covers all the five fingers of the right hand of the bride with his right palm through this process of Paani Grahanam.  He recites mantras in praising deities of Bhaga, Aryama, Savita, Indra, Agni, Suryan, Vayu and Saraswati, while holding  bride’s hand.  He prays for long life, progeny, prosperity and harmony with the bride throughout their married life. The closed fingers of the right hand of the bride is said to represent her heart. The Pâṇi Grahaṇam ritual symbolizes the bride surrendering her heart once for all in the hands of the groom during the process of  marriage.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

 

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part V !

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

Step 5: Mângalya Dhâraṇam

There is no Veda Mantram for tying the mangala sutram (Auspicious  Yellow Thread) around the neck of the bride by  groom. The latter takes the Mangala Sutram in his hands and recites the following verses:

Mângalyaṁ Tantunânena Mama Jîvanahetunâ |
Kaṇṭheḥ Badhnami Subhage! Sañjîva śaradaḥ śatam ||

This is a sacred thread. This is essential for my long life. I tie this around your neck, O maiden having many auspicious attributes! May you live happily for a hundred years with me.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part V !

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

Step 5: Mângalya Dhâraṇam

There is no Veda Mantram for tying the mangala sutram (Auspicious  Yellow Thread) around the neck of the bride by  groom. The latter takes the Mangala Sutram in his hands and recites the following verses:

mângalyaṁ tantunânena mama jîvanahetunâ |
kaṇṭheḥ badhnami subhage! sañjîva śaradaḥ śatam ||

This is a sacred thread. This is essential for my long life. I tie this around your neck, O maiden having many auspicious attributes! May you live happily for a hundred years with me.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

 

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part IV !

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

Step 4: Mangala Snânam and  wearing Wedding clothes by the bride

Five Veda mantras are recited to sanctify the bride in preparation for the subsequent stages of the marriage. This aspect of the marriage is known as Mangala Snanam. The Lord Surya, Lord Varuna, and other deities are invoked to purify the bride in the preparation for a harmonious married life.  The bride wears the marriage clothes to the accompaniment of additional Veda mantras. The bridegroom then ties a darbha rope around her waist  and leads her to the place where the sacred fire is located for conducting the rest of the marriage ceremony. The bride and the groom sit on a new Bamboo mat in front of the fire. The groom recites three mantras which invoke the deities Soma, Gandharva and Agni to bestow with strength, beauty, and everlasting youth on the bride.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

 

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part II !

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

Step 2: Kanyâ dânam

The brahmachari meets his prospective father-in-law. The latter seats him facing the eastern direction and washes the feet of the future son-in-law, considering him as Lord Vishnu Himself. All honors are given including the ceremonial washing of the feet of the groom by the father-in-law and offer  Madhuparka (a mixture of yogurt, honey and ghee) to the accompaniment of selected Veda mantras.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part III !

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

Step 3: Vara prekshaṇam

In this ritual, the bridegroom and the bride look at each other formally for the first time. The bridegroom worries about any dośha (defects) that the bride might have and prays to the Lord Varuna,  Lord Brihaspati, Lord Indra and Lord Surya to remove every defect and to make her fit for harmonious and long marriage life blessed with progeny and happiness (mantra: Rg 10.85.44). The bride groom recites the mantra and wipes the eyebrows of the bride with  darbha grass, as if he is chasing away all defects. The darbha grass is thrown behind the bride at the conclusion of this ceremony.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part I - A !

 

Jai Sriman Narayana

courtesy: (Oppiliappan Koil Sri Varadachari Sadagopan Swami)

Step 1: vâk dânam

This is the first step in a  Kanya Varanam, where the groom-to-be (brahmachari) send two elders on his behalf to the father of a girl whom he wishes to marry. The elders convey the message of the brahmachari and ask for the daughter’s hand. The two mantras in the form of brahmachari’s appeal to intercede on his behalf come from Rg 10.32.1 (“pra sugmantha…”) and 10.85.23. The first mantra begs the elders to proceed and return quickly with success on this mission on his behalf. The second mantram (“anruksharaa Rjava:…”) asks for the gods’ blessings for the elders safe journey to the house of the father of the would-be-bride. The mantra prays to Aryama and Bhaga for a marriage full of harmony. The father accedes to the request of the elders and the resulting agreement for betrothal is known as vaak daanam.

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

The Vedic Wedding Ceremony !! Part I !!

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Courtesy :(By Oppiliappan Koil Sri  Varadachari Sadagopan swami)

Veda mantras or sacred hymns play a key role in every step of the traditional Hindu marriage. The mantras for this ceremony come mostly from the ṛks housed in the tenth mandala of the Rg Veda, when Sūrya's daughter  was given in a marriage to a bridegroom by the name of Soma. These mantras are mostly from Section 10.85.

Many Divya Desams have references in their traditional histories (sthala purâṇas) to the Lord seeking the hand of Maha Lakshmi, who was raised by a maharishi after discovering her as an infant of divine origin (ayonijâ). For instance, in Oppiliappan Koil, Markandeya Maharishi accedes to the request of Sriman Narayana who seeks the hand of his daughter  Sri Bhūmi Devi. She was found as a child in the tulasi shrubs by the Maharishi. At Kumbakonam,  Sri Sarngapani weds  Sri Komalavalli Thayar, the daughter of Hema Maharishi. At Thiruvahindrapuram, Sri Hēmâmbujavalli Thayar, the daughter of another rishi, marries Sri Dēvanâthan in a Vedic ceremony. At Tirupati, Sri Srinivasa marries Padmavati Thayar after seeking her hand from her father, Akasa Rajan. At Tiru Idavendai, the Lord got the name of Sri Nitya Kalyâṇar through his marriage to the 360 daughters of Kalava Rishi. He married them each one a day and made them all into one named Akhilavalli Nacciyar.

The most celebrated one was the wedding of Andal Nachiyar and Sri Ranganatha. Sri Ranganatha seeks the hand of Andal from her father Periyalvar and weds her in a ceremony at Srivilliputtur. Andal had previously dreamt about this marriage and mentioned their wedding in detail in her Nacciyar Tirumozhi, Varanamayiram section, exactly as prescribed in the Vedic ceremony.

The following sections are the steps of a Vedic wedding and their significance.

Will be continued........

Jai Sriman Narayana !!