History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c27.18

v2.c27.18

Certain peculiar ceremonies relating to marriage may now be described very briefly. In order to avert early widowhood (which was judged from her horoscope) for the girl to be married, a ceremony called *kumbha-vivāha* was performed. It is described in Saṁ. Pr. (p. 868), Nirṇayasindhu p. 310, Saṁ. K. (p. 746), S. R. M. (p. 528) and other works. On the day previous to the marriage a jar of water in which a golden image of Viṣṇu is dipped is decked with flowers &c. and the girl is surrounded in a network of threads, Varuṇa and Viṣṇu are worshipped and prayed to give long life to the intended bride-groom. Then the jar is taken out and broken in a pool of water and then water is sprinkled over the girl with five twigs and to the accompaniment of Ṛg. VII. 49 and then brāhmaṇas are fed.