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Vedic Marriage-1
Dear Friends:
The Hindu marriage is based on the marriage of Soma with SuryA, and is
narrated by Rishi SuryA in the RigVeda. This could be based on an
imagined marriage ceremony or could be the marriage of the seer herself.
This collection of verses is mainly form the RigVeda, and has been
compiled by Sri Anirban to adapt it for use in Hindu marriages. The
verses are full of Vedic imagery. I will use a Bangla translation by
Professor Gouri DharmapAl, and re-translate them into english. It will
take me a while to finish this. Sorry for the inconvenience.
* Shubha-dristi
Groom: Aghorchakshur apatighniedhi shiva pashubhyah sumanAh suvarchAh.
Virasur devakAmA syenA sham na bhava dvipade sham chatuspade.
RigVeda 10.85.44
Trishtup chhanda.
Be (edhi) soft gazed (aghor-chakshuh), not a widow (a-pati-ghni)
benefactor of animals (pashubhyah shiva), pleasant hearted (su-manAh),
bright looking (su-varchAh), mother of heroes (vira-suh), devoted to God
(deva-kAmA). Be peaceable with (sham bhava) our (nah) people (dvipade)
and animals (chatuspade).
Groom takes the bride to the altar and both sit down. AchArya recounts
the marriage of Soma with SuryA.
* Somatattva
AchArya: SatyenottabhitA bhumih suryenottabhitA dyuoh.
RitenAdityAs tishthanti divi somo adhi shritah.
RigVeda 10.85.1
Anushtup chhanda
Earth (bhumih) is hoisted up (uttabhitA) by satya (satyena). The sky
(dyouh) is hoisted up (uttabhitA) by surya (suryena). The Adityas
(AdityAh) stand on Rita (ritena tishthanti). Soma (somah) is supported
by sky (divi adhishritah).
SomenAdityA valinah somena prithivi mahi.
Atho nakshatrAnAm eshAmupasthe soma Ahitah.
RigVeda 10.85.2
Anushtup chhanda
By Soma (somena) the Adityas (AdityAh) are powerful (valinah). By Soma
(somena) the earth (prithivi) is glorious (mahi). And (atha) Soma stays
(somah Ahitah) close to the stars (eshAm nakshatrAnAm upasthe).
Somam manyate papivan yat sampishanti oshadhim.
Somam yam brahmAno vidurna tasyAshnAti kaschana.
RigVeda 10.85.3
Anushtup chhanda
The creeper that people crush (yat oshadhim sam-pishanti), (the
drinkers) imagine (manyate) (that) they are drinking soma elixir (somam
papivAn). That soma (yam somam) which the brAhmins (brahmanah) know of
(viduh), nobody ever eats it (na kaschan tasya ashnAti).
* Soma desires a wife
Somo vadhuyrabhavat ashvinAstAmubhA vara.
SuryAm yat patye shamsantim manasA savitA dadAt.
RigVeda 10.85.9
Anushtup chhanda
Soma (somah) becomes (abhavat) desirous of a wife (vadhuyuh). Both
Ashvinas (ubha ashvinA) became (their) welcomers (vara AstAm). When
(yat) suryA (suryAm) became desirous of groom (patye shamshantim),
(then) savitA (savitA) mentally (manasA) offered (her) (adadAt).
* SuryA is described
ChittirA upabarhanam chakshurA abhyanjanam.
Dyuorbhumih kosha Ashidyad suryA patim.
RigVeda 10.85.7
Anushtup chhanda
When SuryA went towards her husband (yat suryA patim agAt), (then) the
sky and earth (dyuoh bhumih) became the carriage (koshah Asit), (her)
awareness (chittih) became (Ah) the back cushion (upabarhanam), (her)
vision (chakshuh) became (Ah) eye make-up (abhyanjanam).
Mano asyA an AsiddyourAsiduta chhadih.
Shukrou anadvahou Astam yadayAtsuryA griham.
RigVeda 10.85.10
Anushtup chhanda
When SuryA went to (husband's) home (yat suryA griham ayAt), (then) her
(asyAh) mind (manah) became (Asit) (her) chariot (anah), and (uta) sky
(dyouh) became (Asit) (its) roof (chhadih), two stars (shukrou) became
(AstAm) (her) ride (Anadvahou).
Dve te chakre surye brahmAnah rituthA viduh.
Athoikam chakram yadguhA tadaddhatayah idviduh.
RigVeda 10.85.16
Anushtup chhanda
O suryA (surye), brAhmins know (brahmAnah viduh) (about) your two
seasonal cycles (te dve rituthA chakre). But one of these cycles (atha
ekam chakram) which is secret (yad guhA), that is known to the poet (tad
addhatayah it viduh).
(To be continued)
With best regards,
Dhruba.
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