Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c10.s2.22

c10.s2.22

In the Jñāti-karman, the bride's kinswomen should bathe her first with relevant Mantras and with water containing a leaf on which the name of the groom is written. Next comes the Sampradāna (ceremony of giving away of the bride) in which the presence of a cow is necessary : the giver (Sampradātṛ) of the bride is to honour the bridegroom with Pādya, Arghya, etc., offered with the citation of relevant Mantras ; the groom is to place the right palm of the bride on that of his own ; a lucky woman, whose husband and sons are living, should tie their palms with a cord of Kuśa grass ; and the giver should give away the bride and offer a fee (Dakṣiṇā) with the citation of Mantras containing the names of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. After duly accepting the bride and the fee, the bridegroom should repeat the Vaiṣṇavi Gāyatrī and think of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, or of his own deity (Iṣṭadeva), or of the different forms of Viṣṇu. The dowry should then be handed over to the bridegroom ; the ends of the garments of the bride and the bridegroom should be tied (Granthi-bandhana) ; the cow should be let loose by a barber ; the giver should cite Mantras for the perfection of the ceremony, and bow down to Viṣṇu, the Guru (preceptor) and others for their favour.