History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c26.403

v2.c26.403

viz. ‘to god Aryaman the girls offered sacrifice; may he the god Aryaman loosen her from this (i. e. her father’s) and not from that place (the bride-groom’s), *svāhā!* to god Varuṇa the girls have offered sacrifice; may he, god Varuṇa &c. To god Pūṣan the girls have offered sacrifice, to Agni; may he, god Pūṣan &c.; with these (the bride) should sacrifice (the fried grain) without opening her joined hands, as if they were the spoon called *sruc*. Without going round the fire the bride sacrifices fried grain a fourth time silently with the neb of the *śūrpa* (winnowing basket) towards herself. Some¹²³⁴ lead the bride round each time after fried grain has been poured out, so that the two last oblations do not follow immediately after each other. Then he loosens her two locks of hair if they are made up (that is if her hair has been bound round on two sides with two tufts of wool), (the right one) with the mantra ‘I release thee from the fetter of Varuṇa’ (Ṛg. X. 85. 24) and the left one with the following mantra (Ṛg. X. 85. 25). Then he causes her to step forward in a north-eastern direction seven steps with the words ‘may you take one step for sap, second step for juice (or vigour), third step for the thriving of wealth, fourth step for comfort, fifth step for offspring, sixth step for seasons, may you be my friend with your seventh step! May you be devoted to me; let us have many sons, may they reach old age’.¹²³⁵ Bringing the heads of the two (bride and bride-groom) together, he (the ācārya) sprinkles their heads with water from the water jar. And the bride should dwell that night in the house of an old brāhmaṇa woman whose husband and children are alive.¹²³⁶ When she (the bride) has seen the Pole star, the star Arundhatī and the seven sages (the constellation of Ursa Major), let her break her silence and say ‘may my husband live and may I secure offspring’.¹²³⁷ If (the newly married couple) have to make a journey (to their home in another village), let him cause the bride to mount a chariot with the verse ‘may Pūṣan lead thee from here holding thy hand’ (Ṛg. X. 85. 26); he should make her ascend into a boat with the hemistitch ‘carrying stones (or the river called Aśmanvatī) flows; get ready’ (Ṛg. X. 53. 8) and let him make her descend from the boat with the following hemistitch; if she weeps let him pronounce the verse ‘they weep for the living’ (Ṛg. X. 40. 10). They constantly carry the nuptial fire in front. At pleasing places, trees and cross roads, let him mutter ‘may no way-layers meet us’ (Ṛg. X. 85. 32). At every dwelling place (on the way) let him look at the onlookers with the mantra ‘this newly married bride brings good luck’ (Ṛg. X. 85. 33). He should make her enter his house with the verse ‘here may happiness increase unto you through offspring’ (Ṛg. X. 85. 27). Having kindled with fuel sticks the nuptial fire and having spread to the west of it a bull's hide with the neck turned towards the east and the hair outside he makes oblations, while she (the bride) is sitting (on that hide) and takes hold of him, with the four verses (one oblation with each verse) ‘may Prajāpati create offspring to us’ (Ṛg. X. 85. 43-46); and then he partakes of curds with the verse ‘may all the gods unite our hearts’ (Ṛg. X. 85. 47) and gives (the remaining curds) to her or he besmears the heart (of both) with the rest of the *ājya* (with part of which he had already sacrificed). From that time they should not eat *kṣāra*¹²³⁸ and *lavaṇa*, should observe celibacy, wear ornaments and sleep on the ground (not on cots) for three nights or twelve nights or for a year according to some (teachers); thus (those teachers say ) a *ṛṣi* will be born as a son ( to them ). When he has fulfilled these observances he should give the bride's shift to a brāhmaṇa who knows the Sūryā hymn (Ṛg. X. 85) and food to brāhmaṇas. Then he should cause the brāhmaṇas to pronounce auspicious words.