SRI RANGA SRI VOL.10 / ISSUE # 03 dated 19th November 2008

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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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ISSUES RELEASED

With this issue, about 290 Regular issues of SRS have been released

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15 Issues of Vol. 2

42 Issues of Vol. 3

35 Issues of Vol. 4

28 Issues of Vol. 5

30 Issues of Vol. 6

50 Issues of Vol. 7 and

36 Issues of Vol. 8

27 Issues of Vol. 9

03 Issues of Vol. 10

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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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