SrI:
SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha //
SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha //
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya/
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya//
KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: /
SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm//
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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.10 / ISSUE # 03 dated 19th November 2008
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. VEDIC WEDDING ? Part 2- Sri ANBIL RAMASWAMY
2. TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SLOKAM 22 ? conclusion of 1st patthu
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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1. VEDIC WEDDING ? Part 2 (By Anbil Ramaswamy)
21. MARRIAGE RITES
There are several rites to be observed in sequence prescribed in the
10th MaNDala of the Rig vEda and the Grihya Sutras and Kalpa Sutras
and compiled by Sage Aaapatsthamba and are purely religious- like
Sumangali Praartahna, Pandakkaal, Nishcyatartham, Vratam, Jaatakama,
Naama karma, Laaja hOma, Griha pravEsam, Ammi midittal, (flat
grinding stone) Arundati Sighting, Paalikai, wearing MeTTi (silver
toe-rings) etc.
There are other observances that are mainly social like Jaanuvaasam,
Kaasi Yaatra, Oonjal, and Tiru maangalyam.
The most significant part of the wedding ceremony as prescribed in
the ancient texts are "PaaNi-grahaNam" and "Sapta-Pathi" without
which no marriage could be considered to be complete.
22. MAANGALYA DHAARANAM
The Tirumaangalyam is taken round to get the blessings of the elders
present in the marriage hall. The bridegroom then invokes Maangalya
DEvataa and performs "ShOdasa Upachaara" (16 kinds of obeisance).
The bride's father sits on a raised seat facing east. The bride sits
on his lap. The bridegroom places the Mangalyam around the neck of
the bride and ties one knot. Uttering the well known SlOkam that is
invariably flashed out in season and out of season in Television
shows and movies depicting the tying of the "MangaLa Sutram". This,
however, is NOT A VEDIC MANTRAM but it is recited by way of
tradition.
"maangalyam tantunaanEna mama jeevana hEtunaa/
kaNTE badnaami subhagE tvam jeeva saratas satam//"
(Vide page 23 of Vivaaha Mantraartha Bodhini" pub: Llifco Associates
Reprint 1991)The bridegroom's sister then ties two more knots.
23. PAANI GRAHANAM (CLASPING THE HAND)
The bridegroom clasps with his right palm the right palm of the
bride including the thumb and recites 4 Mantras invoking celestials
like Bagan, Aryama, Savita, Indra Agni, Surya, Saraswati and Vaayu
praying for their blessings. There is a famous SlOka in Srimad
Ramayana on this. King Janaka requests Sri Rama to grasp with his
right palm, Sri Sita's right palm including all her five fingers.
"iyam Sita mama suthaa saha dharma charee tava/
Prateecha cha yENaam badram tE paaNim griheeshva paaNinaa//"
Once this grasping of hand commences, the grasp cannot be given the
go by till at least after "Saptapathi".
Nowadays, it is the norm to hold the reception on the eve of the
wedding. It is, however, NOT a desirable practice to introduce the
couple as husband and wife, even prior to the marriage ceremony.
There is a tendency among the guests to rush to the dais, to shake
hands with the couple, immediately after the "Maangalya DhaaraNam"
is over. Instead, they should wait till the immediate post-marriage
rituals including the "Seven steps" are completed, when alone the
marriage gets fully solemnized."
(Page27 of "Lakshmi Kalyaana VaibhogamE' Supplement to Nrisimhapriya
Jan. 2005)
24. SAPTAPATHEE
This literally means seven steps and is the MOST IMPORTANT item in
the Marriage ceremony. The groom is required to hold the right toe
of the bride with his right hand and make her take 7 steps towards
the north or east of the "hOma kuNdam" (fire-pit) reciting the
relevant mantras for each step as follows:
1. EkamishE VishNus tvaa anvEtu//
"Oh! Fair maiden! With this your first step, May Lord VishNu come
with you to bless you with plentitude of grains etc. for a life
without hunger"
2. dvE OorjE VishNus tvaa anvEtu//
"With this second step of yours, May Lord VishNu come with you to
bless you physical and mental strength and health in life"
3. treeNI vrataaya VishNus tvaa anvEtu//
"With this third step of yours, May Lord VishNu come with you to
bless you with the power and energy to do all your religious duties
diligently"
4. chatvaari mayO bhavaaya VishNus tvaa anvEtu//
"With this fourth step of yours, May Lord VishNu come with you to
bless you with all happiness to at all times"
5. pancha pasubhyO VishNus tvaa anvEtu//
"With this fifth step of yours, May Lord VishNu come with you to
bless you with wealth in cattle"
6. shad ritubhyO VishNus tvaa anvEtu//
"With this sixth step of yours, May Lord VishNu come with you to
make all the seasons good and favorable for you"
7. sapta saptabhyO hOtraabhyO VishNus tvaa anvEtu//
"With this seventh step of yours, May Lord VishNu come with you to
give you the ability to fulfill all your duties in life by
performing all the prescribed hOmas"
25. AFTER SAPTAPATHI
After taking these seven steps, the groom says to the bride:
(Meanings given after the SlOkas)
sakhaa sapta padaa bhava,
sakhaayou sapta padaa babhoova,
sakhyantE gamEyam,
sakhyaath tE maa yOsham,
sakhyaan mE maayOshTaah,
samayaiva sankalpaa vahai,
sam priyou rOchishNoo,
su-manasya maanee,
eesham oorjam abhi sam vasaanou,
sannou manaagumsi,
sam vrataa sam uchittaany aakaram,
saa tvam asya mooham,
amooham asmi saa tvam,
dhyour aham prithvee tvam,
rEto aham rEtO bhru tvam,
manO aham asmi vaak tvam,
saama aham asmi ruk tvam,
saa maam anu vrataa bhava,
pugumsE putraaya vEttavai, sriyai putraaya vEttavaa yEhi soonrutE//"
Meaning:
"Having taken these seven steps with me, you have become my friend.
Once we have taken these seven steps together, we have become
partners. I take your friendship. I will not leave your side under
any circumstances. Neither do you leave me. Let us be together
always. We will live with mutual love and affection for each other.
We will live with good intentions. We will enjoy our life together.
We will be of one mind. We will do our Vratas (religious duties)
together. Our wishes will be of the same kind. I will be the music
and you will be the lyrics of the song of life. I will be the sky
and you will be the earth. I will be the voice and you will be the
mind. Oh! Maiden with sweet words! We will obtain all that is good
in life. Please come with me"
Saastras say that on taking seven steps together, friendship
blossoms. Since the couple should remain friendly to each other
throughout their lives, it is a vow addressed to the sanctity of
this friendship. What is friendship? In weal and woe, the couple
should stand united, face the joys and sorrows of life together
without blaming each other, thus promoting perfect understanding
between them. Just like "Rik" and "Saamam" are inseparable forever,
the mantras seek to emphasize that the couple should remain
inseparable at all times.
26. HOMAMS GALORE - PRADAANA HOMAM AND LAAJA HOMAM
This is followed by several hOmams, the most important one
being "Pradaana HOmam" and later on a "Laaja HOmam" in which the
brother of the bride hands over the palm of the bride parched rice
which mixed with clarified butter, she offers in the sacred fire.
Parched rice is a symbol of prosperity.
27. AMMI MIDITTAL / ASMAAROHANAM
The groom holds the feet of the bride and places it on a grinding
stone accompanied by recital of some mantras. This is said to
indicate a request to her to stand firm like a rock through ups and
downs in their married life.
28. A BOY ON THE LAP OF THE BRIDE!
A small boy is made to sit on the lap of the bride after ensuring
that none of the boy's siblings had died! This is probably to
indicate that the bride should bring forth a male child like him if
and when she conceives.
29. SIGHTING DHRUVA AND ARUNDATI ON THE SKY
The groom shows her the Dhruva star (Pole star) and Arundati star,
the proverbial personification of chastity. This is also said to
reinforce the same message as "Ammi Midittal"
30. ROLLING THE COCONUT AND SMASHING THE FRIED PAPAD
To impart an aura of festive mood, a mock game is arranged in which
the bride and the groom are seated facing each other and engage in
rolling coconuts like balls and the onlookers are said to umpire the
game and declare the winner. Later, they are made to smash fired
pappads on each other's head! This is observed in south Indian
marriages.
31. GRIHA PRAVESAM
This refers to the formal entry of the bride into the home of the
husband. She is supposed to enter placing her right foot first while
entering and this is considered as auspicious.
32. HOMAMS AGAIN
"Pravisya HOmam", "Jayaati Homam" "SEsha Homam" and "Praayaschitta
Homam"Pravisya HOmam relates to the formal entry of the bride into
her new home.
Jayaati Homam seeks to pray for prosperity in the new home.
SEsha Homam relates to a prayer for protection of the family in the
new home.
Praayaschitta Homam relates to atonement for any commissions and
omissions in observing the rituals and praying to God to forgive
their transgressions, if any.
33. ASIEERVAADAM
The elders assembled would sprinkle rice mixed with turmeric powder
and bless the couple to the chanting of appropriate mantras.
34. ARATHI
This is the traditional closing ceremony when two Sumangali ladies
wave around the face of the couple plate containing water made red
with turmeric and lime (ChuNNaambu) to ward off effects of any evil
eye!
35. SAANTHI MUHOORTHAM
Marriage is not meant as a means to satisfy carnal craving. It is
regarded as a means to spiritual glory, a `sin qua non' for the
development of lineage - a necessary link between the "dead past"
and an "unborn future" that must come alive to be undertaken as a
part of spiritual duty with devotion to perpetuate the family
tradition. Marriage is an integral part of a Grihasta for it is said
that no ritual is efficacious without the presence of the wife,
the "Saha DharmiNi". The wife always accompanies the husband in
discharging his duties
dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
(To be continued)
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2.TAATPARYA RATNAVALI - SLOKAM 22 (conclusion of 1st patthu)
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARAIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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SrImate Ra'nga RAmAnuja MahA DeSikAya namaH.
With this posting, we conclude svAmi deSikan's tAtparya ratnAvaLi
Sloka-s for the first 100 pASuram-s - also called mudal pattu
because it consists of ten tiruvAimozhi-s.
In conclusion of the first pattu, svAmi deSikan gives us one Slokam
that summarizes the contents of the first pattu in which nammAzhvAr
has sung BhagavAn's sevyattvam (that BhagavAn has all the guNa-s
that point to Him as the object of our worship).
Slokam 22:
Adau ittham paratvAt (1.1) akhila samatayA (1.2)
bhakta saulabhya bhUmnA (1.3)
niS-Sesha aghas-sahatvAt (1.4) kRpaNa sughaTanAt (1.5)
Sakya samrAdhanatvAt (1.6) |
svAdu sva upAsanatvAt (1.7) prakRti RjutayA (1.8)
sAtmya bhoga pradAnAt (1.9)
avyAja udAra bhAvAt (1.10) amanta Satake
mAdhavam sevanIyam (1st pattu) ||
Thus, in the first Satakam (100 pASuram-s) of tiruvAimozhi grantham,
nammAzhvAr points out that BhagavAn is worthy of our adoration, as
established by the following guNa-s of BhagavAn sung in the first
ten tiruvAimozhi-s:
- paratvAt - sarvasmAt paran - MAdhavan is the Supreme Deity above
all, without exception.(1.1)
- akhila samatayA - sarva-saman -. He treats all devotees as equals,
without any differentiation. He is accessible for worship by all,
and can be worshipped by all with the same ease of access. (1.2)
- bhakta saulabhya bhUmnA - ASrita sulabhan - He is extremely easily
accessible to the devotees, to the point that He lets Himself be
controlled by His devotees through their devotion (1.3)
- niS-Sesha aghas-sahatvAt - sarva aparAdha sahan - He forgives all
sins of the devoee who surrenders unconditionally to Him (1.4)
- kRpaNa sughaTanAt - (kRpaNa - wretched, helpless; su-ghaTanAt -
easily mixing with) - sauSIlyan - BhagavAn moves with even the
lowliest of lowly beings without any differentiation, by getting
down to their levels (1.5)
-Sakya samrAdhanatvAt - It is extremely easy toworship Him - sukara
bhajanatvam (1.6)
-svAdu sva-upAsanatvAt - Worship of BhagavAn is sweet - sevanam
svAdu, it is supreme delight (bhajanam parama bhogyam) (1.7)
-PrakRti RjutayA - Naturally consistent in thought, word and deed -
"nirupadhimRjutAm" ?One who is sincere in his associations with His
devotees (nirupadhi means `without any conceit'; Rju ? one who is
honest in his dealings, straightforward. Favorable.). Rather than
expecting everyone to adjust to His level, He brings Himself down to
their levels, with all sincerity. He bends to the way of the bhakta-
s, rather than correct them to His level (1.8)
-sAtmya bhoga pradAnAt - He gives Himself to His devotee in
small, 'digestible', easy doses at a time so that the devotee gets
true enjoyment of Him in completeness (1.9)
- avyAja udAra bhAvAt - atyanta udAran - BhagavAn gives Himself
without any constraint to His devotees (1.10).
With the next posting, we will start the second pattu.
Regards
dAsan kRshNamAcAryan
(To be continued)
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