Adhyāya I, Kaṇḍikā 8

1^[1]. Then he makes her step forward in a northern direction seven steps (with the words),

'One for sap, two for juice, three for the prospering of wealth, four for comfort, five for cattle, six for the seasons. Friend! be with seven steps (united to me). So be thou devoted to me.'

2. (The words), 'May Viṣṇu lead thee' are added to every part (of the formula).

3^[2]. From the moment of their going away a man who holds a water-pot on his shoulder, stands silent to the south of the fire;

4. To the north, (according to the opinion) of some (teachers).

5. From that (pot) he sprinkles her (with water) on her head (with the formula),

'The blessed, the most blessed waters, the peaceful ones, the most peaceful ones, may they give medicine to thee'—

6. And with the three (verses), Ye waters are' (Vāj. Saṃh. XI, 50-52).

7. He then makes her look at the sun with (the verse), 'That eye' (Vāj. Saṃh. XXXVI, 24.).

8^[3]. He then touches her heart, (reaching) over her right shoulder, with (the words), 'Into my will I take thy heart; thy mind shall follow my mind; in my word thou shalt rejoice with all thy heart; may Prajāpati join thee to me.'

9^[4]. He then recites over her (the verse), 'Auspicious ornaments does this woman wear. Come up to her and behold her. Having brought luck to her, go away back to your houses.'

10^[5]. A strong man snatches her up from the ground, and sets her down in an eastern or northern direction in an out-of-the-way house, on a red bull's hide, with (the words),

'Here may the cows sit down, here the horses, here the men. Here may sacrifice with a thousand gifts, here may Pūṣan sit down.'

11. And what (the people in) the village tell them, that they should do.

12^[6]. For it is said, 'At weddings and funerals he shall enter the village;'

13. (And) because the Śruti says, 'Therefore on these two occasions authority rests with the village.'

14. To the teacher (who helps at the wedding ceremonies) he gives an optional gift.

15^[7]. A cow is the optional gift to be given by a Brāhmaṇa,

16. A village by a Rājanya,

17. A horse by a Vaiśya.

18^[8]. A hundred (cows) with a chariot (he gives to a father) who has only daughters.

19^[9]. After sunset he shows her the firm star (i.e. the polar-star) with (the words),

'Firm art thou; I see thee, the firm one. Firm be thou with me, O thriving one!

'To me Bṛhaspati has given thee; obtaining offspring through me, thy husband, live with me a hundred autumns.'

20. If she does not see (the polar-star), let her say notwithstanding, 'I see,' &c.

21^[10]. Through a period of three nights they shall eat no saline food; they shall sleep on the ground; through one year they shall refrain from conjugal intercourse, or through a period of twelve nights, or of six nights, or at least of three nights.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

8, 1. The parallel texts have sakhā and saptapadī for sakhe and saptapadā of Pāraskara.

[2]:

See above, I, 4, 15. The water mentioned here is designated as stheyā āpaḥ; see Śāṅkhāyana-Gṛhya I, 13, 5 seq.; Gṛhya-saṃgraha II, 26. 35.

[3]:

See the note on Śāṅkhāyana-Gṛhya II, 3, 3.

[4]:

Rig-veda X, 85, 33.

[5]:

The Atharva-veda (XX, 127, 12) has the reading pra jāyadhvam instead of ni ṣīdantu (in the first Pāda); the second hemistich there runs thus: iho sahasradakṣiṇo^ऽpi Pūṣā ni ṣīdati.

[6]:

I have ventured, differing from Professor Stenzler ('Bei der Hochzeit und auf der Leichenstätte richte er sich nach dem Dorfe'), to translate praviśatāt according to its original meaning. Could this possibly be a rule for Vānaprasthas who live in the forest and enter the village only on exceptional occasions?

[7]:

Śāṅkhāyana I, 14, 13 seqq.

[8]:

Śāṅkhāyana I, 14, 16. Comp. the note there.

[9]:

In the text the word 'firm' (dhruva) is neuter in the two first instances, and refers to the 'firm star;' the third time it is feminine, referring to the bride. Pāraskara has the vocative poshye for the nominative poshyā of Śāṅkhāyana I, 17, 3; comp. above, § 1 sakhe for sakhā.

[10]:

Śāṅkhāyana I, 17, 5. 6; Āśvalāyana I, 8, 10. 11.