"vivAha" is an important samskAra in the Indian cultural tradition. It has many names:
- vivAha: "vi" vishesha vAchaka (that which is designated as special), "vaha" (to carry). So vivAha is the leading away or carrying away.
- pANigrahaNa - holding of hands and doing the sapthapadi (7 steps)
- pariNaya - the process of circumambulating around the sacrificial fire; pari-nayati is taking one around
- udhvAha - elevating one to the next level (similarly samudvAha, prOdvAha)
- dAraparigraha - taking on a wife
- vAdhukya - taking a vadhu (a vadhu is one who is like a boat that helps cross ocean)
- brahmacharya - celibacy, education, knowledge is the core objective. Knowledge enables one to move to the next levels. At this stage one is responsible for self - at an individual level. Here, one develops awareness of "dharma, artha, kAma, and moksha" at a theoretical level.
- grihastha - family, progeny, reproduction, lineage are the core objectives. One realizes the first three purushArthAs (purposes in life) - artha and kAma in the path of dharma. One becomes eligible for many "yajnas" through the process of getting married. Men add on an additional responsibility to their "three threads" of life. At this stage, one becomes responsible to the immediate family and adding responsible citizens to the society.
- vAnaprastha - in this stage one takes on social projects, responsibilities and mentorship. They pass on the household responsibilities to the next generation and take on advisory role and gradually step towards the most important purushArtha - mOksha.
- sanyAsa - this stage is marked by detachment and renunciation of material desires with primary focus on moksha, peace and simple spiritual life.
Different sootrAs in the vedic system developed by the seers provide the process of marriage. The manusmriti, a dharma shAtra, outlines the process and responsibilities of this important samskaara. It recognizes 8 kinds of marriages:
brahmo-daivas-tathaiva-ArSah prajApatya-statha asurah |
gandharvo raksasascaiva paisavastamah smrtah
----Manusmrti, 3. 21
- braahma vivaaha: after completing the brahmacharya, the parents of the boy approach the parents of a girl and request the hands of their daughter in marriage to their son. Such a marriage arranged in this way is called brahma. The goal is dharmic advancement of two families. The dharmasastras regard this type of marriage as the highest.
- daiva vivAha: the marrying a girl to a rtvik (priest) during a sacrifice is called "daiva". The parents, in this type, after waiting in vain for a young man to turn up and ask for their daughter's hand, go looking for a groom for her in a place where a sacrifice is being conducted.
- aarsha vivAha: "arsa" suggests that it is concerned with the rsis, sages. A girl in this case is married off to a sage based on the parents' condition. Either the bride aspires to marry a sage, or the parents marry her off to a sage as they could not celebrate her marriage according to the brahma vivAha process.
- prajApatya vivAha: this does not involve the kanyadana process. Depending on the situation, the bride's father goes in search of a groom and offers the bride to the grooms father. This was also because the brides were married off at an young age, when even the groom was too young for pANigrahaNa.
- aasura vivAha: in this type, the girl's father or her relatives receive a good deal of money from the groom and is forced to marry him.
- gandharva vivAha:in this type, marriage happens upon mutual consent of the bride and the groom without following the vedic rituals. The bride and the groom exchange vows without the consent of the parents.
- rAkshasa vivAha: in this marriage, the groom battles with the girl's family, overcomes them and carries her away by force. Bride's consent may or may not be taken.
- paishAca vivAha: in this marriage, the groom marries off the bride by seducing or intoxicating her; the bride could be sleeping, mentally challenged or unconscious. This is considered the most inferior of all marriage types.
The marriage itself happens in 7 steps, called the "sapta-padi" process.
- Step 1: material comforts and pleasures
- Step 2: strength, vigor, power, energy
- Step 3: performance of vratAs; conduct, character, commitments, resolutions, promises
- Step 4: delight, happiness, peace
- Step 5: livelihood, prosperity, security, advancement
- Step 6: navigating through the seasons - of ups and downs
- Step 7: performance of yajnAs - the completion of responsibilities with submission to the Lord
अत्र पत्न्याः पाद्ग्रहणस्य आयुक्तत्वात् वरः तत्पाणिं अमुंचन्नॆव पादं उद्धृत्य निक्षिपॆत् – ऎवं वधूं प्रक्रमयति इत्युक्तम् |
Whether one uses rice or wheat or earth or whatever, the key is appreciate what each of these symbolizes.
The saptapadi process:
The groom takes the bride along with him chanting a mantra at each step. The bride moves by keeping the right foot forward. After taking the seven steps the bride stands facing the east and the groom stands facing the bride and makes a few more promises. Following are the saptapadi mantraas:
The groom takes the bride along with him chanting a mantra at each step. The bride moves by keeping the right foot forward. After taking the seven steps the bride stands facing the east and the groom stands facing the bride and makes a few more promises. Following are the saptapadi mantraas:
एकमिषे विष्णुस्त्वान्वॆतु । द्वे ऊर्जे विष्णुस्त्वान्वेतु । त्रीणि व्रताय विष्णुस्त्वान्वेतु । चत्वारि मायॊ भवाय विष्णुस्त्वान्वेतु । पञ्च पशुभ्यॊ विष्णुस्त्वान्वेतु । षडृतुभ्यो विष्णुस्त्वान्वेतु । सप्त सप्तभ्यो विष्णुस्त्वान्वेतु ।
एकमिषे विष्णुस्त्वान्वॆतु ।
"On your first step, may VishNu follow you for giving unlimited food (material comforts).
द्वे ऊर्जे विष्णुस्त्वान्वेतु
On your second step, may VishNu follow you for giving eminent health (strength, vigor, power, energy).
त्रीणि व्रताय विष्णुस्त्वान्वेतु ।
On your third step, may VishNu follow you for helping you in your vratAs (conduct, meritorious acts, commitments, vows, resolves, wills, promises).
चत्वारि मायॊ भवाय विष्णुस्त्वान्वेतु ।
On your fourth step, may VishNu follow you for giving you delight (pleasures, happiness).
पञ्च पशुभ्यॊ विष्णुस्त्वान्वेतु ।
On your fifth step, may VishNu follow you for giving you good cows and other animals (livelihood).
षडृतुभ्यो विष्णुस्त्वान्वेतु ।
On your sixth step, may VishNu follow you for giving you beneficial seasons (and the ability to adjust to those).
सप्त सप्तभ्यो विष्णुस्त्वान्वेतु ।
And on your seventh step, may VishNu follow you for giving you the benefits of the seven types of yajnAs (saptayajnAs), via, hOtA, prashAstA, brAhmaNacChaMsi, pOtA, nEShTA, acChavaka, aagnidhra. May VishNu be with you in the stages of life"
Immediately after taking the seven steps, the groom stands facing the bride and proclaims the following (still holding the hands):
सखा सप्तपदा भव । सखायौ सप्तपदा बभूव । सख्यं तॆ गमॆयं सक्यातॆ मयॊषं सख्यान्मॆ मायोष्ठास्समयाव सङ्कल्पावहै संप्रियौ रॊचिष्णू समनस्यमानौ । इषमूर्जमभिसंवसानौ सन्नौमनांसि संव्रता समुचित्तान्याकरम् । सात्वमस्यमूहममूहमस्मि सा त्वं द्यौरहं पृथिवी त्वगं रेतॊऽहं रॆतोभृत्वं मनोहमस्मि वाक्त्वं सामाहमस्मि ऋक्त्वं सा मामनुव्रता भव पुंसे पुत्राय वॆत्तवै श्रियै पुत्राय वेत्तव एहि सून्यते ।
Oh my friend, now is our marriage sealed. On the virtue of these seven steps we have become best friends. I vow not move out of your friendship, may you not move out my friendship. Let us resolve to perform our duties together, in cooperation, with love and affection. Let us take delight that our relationship was destined. May we be live together in harmony, may my mind be in you in all my deeds. If you are the lyrics (verse), I will be its meter (music). If you are the music, I will be the lyrics. If I am the space, you are the earth [earth and space go hand in hand]. If I am the seed (or the life source), and you are its beholder (the carrier). If I am the mind and you are the speech. I am the sAmavEda, you be the rigvEda. In this way be duly performing vows for the sake of begetting offspring and prosperity, oh dear friend come along with your sweet words.
Saying this the groom takes the bride around the sacrificial fire for seeking the blessings from the deities (lAjAnAmAhutEH poorvaM sabrahmAgnau pradakshiNam).
It is with this 'paaNigrahaNa samskaara', saptapadi, that the bride becomes eligible to be called a "dArA" (wife or "the owner or co-owner of the house").
पाणिग्रहण अंत्रस्तु नियतं दारलक्षनम् । तॆषां निष्ठातु विज्ञॆया विद्वद्भिः सप्तमे पदे (मनुस्मृति ९.२९)
With this the bride is said to have taken on a new gOtra (family name, race, lineage, clan, path, road).
स्वगोत्रात् भ्रश्यते नारी विवाहात्सप्तमे पदे (वराहस्मृति ६८)
It is the saptapadi that confirms the relationship between husband and wife. It is only after the vows here that the two share the relationship.
नॊदकेन न वाचा वा कन्यायाः पतिरुच्यते | पाणिग्रहण संस्कारात् पतित्वं सप्तमॆ पदे || (याज्ञवल्क्यस्मृति)
This is the process and importance of the extremely auspicious saptapadi process in the Indian marriage.
Reference: samskaara mahodadhi.
