by Shrila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami
Vivaha Karma (marriage)
Sapta Padi Gamana (taking seven steps):
With rice-flour paste seven small circles should be drawn in a line going in the North-eastern direction. The groom should lead the bride to step into each circle. She should place the right foot first, the left behind. The groom should say:
ma vama-padena dakshina padam akrama
“Don’t let the left foot cross beyond the right.”
With the first step he should say:
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
ekapad virat chandah
shri vishnuh devata
ekapada-kramane viniyogah
om ekamishe vishnus tva nayatu
“May Vishnu lead you to strength.”
With the second step he should say:
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
dvipad virat chandah
shri vishnuh devata
dvipada-kramane viniyogah
om dve urje vishnus tva nayatu
“May Vishnu lead you to power.”
With the third step he should say:
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
tripad virat chandah
shri vishnuh devata
tripada-kramane viniyogah
om trini vrataya vishnus tva nayatu
“May Vishnu led you to uphold your vows. “
With the fourth step he should say:
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
catushpad virat chandah
shri vishnuh devata
catushpada-kramane viniyogah
om catvari mayobhavaya vishnus tva nayatu
“May Vishnu lead you to happiness.”
With the fifth step he should say:
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
pancapad virat chandah
shri vishnuh devata
pancapada-kramane viniyogah
om panca pashubhyo vishnus tva nayatu
“May Vishnu lead you to plenty of cows.”
With the sixth step he should say:
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
shatpad virat chandah
shri vishnuh devata
shatpada-kramane viniyogah
om shadrayas poshaya vishnus tva nayatu
“May Vishnu lead you to multiplying spiritual wealth.”
With the seventh step he should say:
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
saptapad virat chandah
shri vishnuh devata
saptapada-kramane viniyogah
om sapta saptabhyo hotrabhyo vishnus tva nayatu
“May Vishnu lead you to maintain the seven sacrifices.”
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
samiki-pankti chandah
shri harih devata
pada-kramanantaram ashasane viniyogah
om sakha saptapadi bhava
sakhyan te gameyam
sakhyan te ma yoshah
sakhyan te ma yoshthyah
“Be my companion for life, fixed in seven vows. May I attain companionship with you. Do not break this bond.”
The groom should address the assembled guests:
om prajapatih vishnu rishi
anushtup chandah
shri vishnuh devata
vivaha-prekshakajana mantrane viniyogah
om su mangaliriyam vadhurimam samete pashyata
saubhagyam asyai dattva yathastam viparetana
“This wife is most faithful. Come and behold her. Having brought her good fortune, you may now depart.”
The friend holding the water pot should then approach the seven circles by passing on the West side of the fire and sprinkle first the groom’s head, then the bride’s head. Each time the groom should say:
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
anushtup chandah
shri vasudevasya devata
murdhabhishecane viniyogah
om samanjantu vasudevah samapo hridayami nau
sam matarishva sandhata samudeshtri dadhatu nau
“May Vasudeva and all His expansions anoint us as one. May the water make our hearts one. May the lord of the wind, our maintainer make us one. May her lordship make us one.”
Wih the completion of Sapta Padi Gamana the bride and groom are considered married.
Pani Grahanam (taking the bride’s hands):
The groom should take the bride’s two hands in his left hand and with his right hand he should grasp the thumb of the upturned right hand of the bride.
The groom should say:
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
trishtup chandah
sanakadayo devata
grihita-kanyapane patyuh jape viniyogah om gribhnami te saubhagatvaya hastam maya patya jaradashtir yathasah sanaka-sanatana-sanandana-sanat kumarah mahyam tvaduh garha patyaya karshnah
“For good fortune I hold your hand, so that you may attain old age in the company of your husband. The four kumaras have given you to me for performance of household duties as a devotee of Krishna.”
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
trishtup chandah
shri vishnuh devata
grihita-kanyapane patyuh jape viniyogah
om aghora cakshuh apatighnedhi shiva pashubhyah sumanah suvarcah
virasuh jivasuh krishna kama syona sanno bhava dvipade sam catushpade
“Be gentle-eyed, protecting your husband. Be kind to the animals, be good minded, beautiful. Be the mother of heroes, mother of life, dear to Krishna, bringing the highest happiness. Be good to us, both man and beast.”
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
jagati chandah
shri vishnuh devata
grihita-kanyapane patyuh jape viniyogah
om a nah prajam janayatu vishnuh ajarasaya samanaktu krishnah
adurmangalih patilokam avisha sanno bhava dvipade sam catushpade
“May Vishnu generate progeny for us. May Krishna keep us together until old age. Enter your husband’s house, with auspiciousness. Be good to us, both man and beast.”
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
anushtup chandah
shri vishnuh devata
grihita-kanyapane patyuh jape viniyogah
om imam tvam vishno midhvah suputram subhagam kridhi
dashasyam putran adhehi patim ekadasham kuru
“Oh Vishnu, impregnate her, make fine, strong sons. Put ten sons in her, make eleven men in the house.”
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
anushtup chandah
shri vishnuh devata
grihita-kanyapane patyuh jape viniyogah
om samranji shvasure bhava
samranji shvashrvam bhava
nanandari ca samranji bhava
samranji adhi devrishu
“Be the ruler of your husband’s father. Be the ruler of your husband’s mother. Be the ruler of your husband’s sisters. Be the ruler of your husband’s brothers.”
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
trishtup chandah
shri vishnuh devata
grihita-kanyapane patyuh jape viniyogah
om mama vrate te hridayam dadhatu mama cittam anu cittam te ‘stu
mama vac eka mana jushasvashri vishnuh tva niyunaktu mayam
“May your heart be fixed on my life’s goals. May your mind follow after mine. With body and soul be devoted to my words. May Vishnu join us together.”
Vyasta Samasta Mahavyahriti Homa:
With the bride on his left the groom should offer ghee:
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
gayatri chandah
shri vishnuh devata
vyasta samasta mahavyahrti home viniyogah
om bhur svaha – idam vishnave idam na mama
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
ushnik chandah
shri acyuto devata
vyasta samasta mahavyahrti home viniyogah
om bhuvah svaha – idam acyutaya idam na mama
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
anushtup chandah
shri narayano devata
vyasta samasta mahavyahrti home viniyogah
om svah svaha – idam narayanaya idam na mama
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
brihati chandah
shri ananto devata
vyasta samasta mahavyahrti home viniyogah
om bhur bhuvah svah svaha – idam anantaya idam na mama
He should then offer ghee-soaked wood without mantra, and then perform Shatyayana Homa, recite the Vamadevya Ganam prayers, perform the other rites of the Udicya Karma, and give dakshina to the brahmanas. But if on the day of the wedding the Cathurthi Homa is performed, the Shatyayana Homa should be performed after that.
Uttara Vivaha (subsequent rites): The groom should establish the fire named “yojaka” in the kunda when the stars are visible in the sky. While the bride sits silently, the groom should throw wood into the fire silently, then perform Vyasta Samasta Mahavyahriti Homa.
Then the groom should offer ghee into the fire six times with the following mantras, sprinkling the remnants from the sruva on the bride’s head.
om prajapatih vishnu rishih
anushtup chandah
shri vishnuh devata
uttara vivahe panigrahanasyajya home viniyogah
om lekha sandhishu pakshmasv-avarteshu ca yanite
tani te purnahutya sarvani shamayamy-aham svaha
“Whatever lies inauspicious in the combinations of markings, in your eyelids, in the curls of your hair, I nullify that by this final sacrifice.”
om kesheshu yac ca papaka nikshite rudite ca yat
tani te purnahutya sarvani shamayamy-aham svaha
“Whatever faults lie in your hair and in your weeping, I nullify that by this final sacrifice.”
om shileshu yac ca papakam bhashite hasite ca yat
tani te purnahutya sarvani shamayamy-aham svaha
“Whatever faults lie in your character, in your words and in your smile, I nullify that by this final sacrifice.”
om arokeshu ca danteshu hastayoh padayosh ca yat
tani te purnahutya sarvani shamayamy-aham svaha
“Whatever faults lie in your glances, in your teeth, in your hands and feet, I nullify that by this final sacrifice.”
om urvor upasthe janghayoh sandhaneshu ca yani te
tani te purnahutya sarvani shamayamy-aham svaha
“Whatever faults lie in your thighs, in your hips, in your ankles and in your joints, I nullify that by this final sacrifice.”
om yani kani ca ghorani sarvangeshu tavabhavan
purnahutibhir ajyasya sarvani tany-ashishamam svaha
“Whatever was inauspicious in the parts of your body, I have nullified by this final sacrifice.”
Sat Kriya Sara Dipika, Part Twenty-six
BY: SUN STAFF
Nov 09, 2016 — CANADA (SUN) — By Shrila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. Printed by The Bhaktivedanta Academy, Mayapur (1995).
