﻿304 ON THE RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES 



promote our happiness, confirm thy association with 

 me/' Tlie l)ri(legroom then addresses tlie spectators : 

 •'This woHKin is auspicious : a])proach and view lier : 

 antl having conferred [by your good m ishesj auspi- 

 cious fortune on her, depart to your respective 

 abodes." 



Then the bridegroom's friend, who stood near 

 the fire bearing ajar of water, advances to the spot 

 v/here the seventh step was completed, and pours 

 water'on the bridegroom's head, and afterwards on 

 the bride's, whiie a prayer above mentioned is re- 

 cited : " May M^aters and all the Gods cleanse our 

 hearts; may air do so; may the Creator do .so ; 

 may the divine instructress unite our hearts *. " 



The bridegroom then puts his left hand under 

 the bride's hands, which are joined together in a 

 hollow form, and taking her right liand in his, re- 

 cites the six following texts : 1. "I take thy hand 

 for the sake of good fortune, that thou mayst be- 

 come old with me, thy husband : may the generous 

 mighty and prolific sun render thee a matron, that 

 I may be a householder." 3. "Be gentle in thy 

 aspect, and loyal to thy husband ; be fortunate iu 

 cattle; amiable in thy mind, and beautiful in thy 

 person ; • be mother of surviving sons ; be assiduous 

 at the [live] sacraments ; be cheerful ; and bring 

 prosperity to our bipeds and quadrupeds." 3. " May 

 the lord of creatures grant us progeny, even unto 

 old age ; may the sun render tliat progeny conspi- 

 cuous. Auspicious deities have given thee to me. 

 Enter thy husband's abode ; and bring health to our 

 bipeds and quadrupeds." 4. " O Indra, who 

 pourest forth rain ! render tins M-oman fortunate antl 

 the mother of children : grant her ten sons ; give 

 her eleven protectors." 6. ''Be submissive to thy 

 husband's father, to his mother, to his sister, and 



to 



* It is here translated according to the gloss of Gun'a vishn'u. 

 In the former version I followed the commentary of Helayud'ha* 



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