०३

प्रागुदीच्यां दिशि यद्ब्राह्मणकुलमभिरूपम् १

1. ¹ To a convenient house of a Brāhmaṇa, which is situated in a north-easterly direction.

तत्राग्निरुपसमाहितो भवति २

2. There wood has been put on the (nuptial) fire.

अपरेणाग्निमानडुहं रोहितं चर्म प्राग्ग्रीवमुत्तरलोमास्तीर्णं भवति ३

3. ² To the west of the fire a red bull’s hide has been spread out, with the neck to the east and with the hair outside.

तस्मि न्नेनां वाग्यतामुपवेशयन्ति ४

4. On that they make the woman, who has to keep silence, sit down.

सा खल्वास्त एवानक्षत्रदर्शनात् ५

5. And (there) she remains sitting until the stars appear.

प्रोक्ते नक्षत्रे षडाज्याहुतीर्जुहोति लेखासन्धिष्वित्येतत्प्रभृतिभिः ६

6. When (somebody) has said that a star has appeared, (the husband) sacrifices six oblations of Ājya with the (six verses) commencing with (the verse), ‘In the junctions of the lines’ (l.l. I, 3, 1-6).

आहुतेराहुतेस्तु सम्पातं मूर्धनि वध्वा अवनयेत् ७

7. The remnants of each oblation he should pour out over the bride’s head.

हुत्वोपोत्थायोपनिष्क्रम्य ध्रुवं दर्शयति ८

8. After the sacrifice they arise, go out (of the house), and he shows her the ‘firm star’ (i.e. the polar-star).

ध्रुवमसि ध्रुवाहं पतिकुले भूयासममुष्यासाविति पतिनाम गृह्णीयादात्मनश्च ९

9. (Repeating the formula): ‘Firm art thou. May I, N.N., become firm in the house of N.N., my husband’—she should pronounce her husband’s and her own name.

अरुन्धतीं च १०

10. ³ And (he shows her besides the star) Arundhatī.

रुद्धाहमस्मीत्येवमेव ११

11. ⁴ (She says): ‘I (N.N.) am held fast,’ &c., as above (Sūtra 9).

अथैनामनुमन्त्रयते ध्रुवा द्यौरित्येतयर्चा १२

12. He then addresses her with the verse, ‘Firm is the sky’ (MB. I, 3, 7).

अनुमन्त्रिता गुरुं गोत्रेणाभिवादयते १३

13. ⁵ After she has been addressed (thus), she respectfully calls her Guru by his Gotra name.

सोऽस्या वाग्विसर्गः १४

14. ⁶ Thus she breaks her silence.

तावुभौ तत्प्रभृति त्रिरात्रमक्षारलवणाशिनौ ब्रह्मचारिणौ भूमौ सह शयीयाताम् १५

15. From that time through a period of three nights they should both avoid eating saline or pungent food, and should sleep together on the ground without having conjugal intercourse.

अत्रार्घ्यमित्याहुः १६

16. ⁷ Here, they say, an Argha reception (should be offered to the young husband).

आगतेष्वित्येके १७

17. Some say (that this reception should be offered) when (the bridegroom and his companions) have arrived (at the house of the bride’s father).

हविष्यमन्नं प्रथमं परिजपितं भुञ्जीत १८

18. ⁸ The first food which he eats, should be food fit for sacrifice, over which he has murmured (the verses quoted in Sūtra 21).

श्वो भूते वा समशनीयं स्थालीपाकं कुर्वीत १९

19. Or he should prepare on the following day a mess of cooked food, of which they eat together.

तस्य देवता अग्निः प्रजापतिर्विश्वे देवा अनुमतिरिति २०

20. The deities to whom it belongs, are, Agni, Prajāpati, the Viśve devās, and Anumati.

उद्धृत्य स्थालीपाकं व्यूह्यैकदेशं पाणिनाभिमृशेदन्नपाशेन मणिनेति २१

21. Having taken that food out (of the vessel in which it is), and having spread it out, he should touch one part of it with his hand, with (the verses), ‘With the tie of food, with the jewel’ (MB. I, 3, 8-10).

भुक्त्वोच्छिष्टं वध्वै प्रदाय यथार्थम् २२

22. ⁹ After he has eaten, and has given the rest to the wife, (they may do) what they like.

गौर्दक्षिणा २३

23. ¹⁰ A cow is the sacrificial fee.