१९

1. After he has returned from the teacher’s house, he should support his father and mother.

समावृत्त आचार्यकुलान्मातापितरौ बिभृयात् १

2. ¹ With their permission he should take a wife belonging to the same caste and country, a ’naked’ girl, a virgin who should belong to a different Gotra (from her husband’s).

ताभ्यामनुज्ञातो भार्यामुपय-च्छेत्सजातां नग्निकां ब्रह्मचारिणीमसगोत्राम् २

3. ² Whatever he intends to do (for instance, taking a wife), he should do on an auspicious day only, during one of the following five spaces of time, viz. in the morning, the forenoon, at midday, in the afternoon, or in the evening.

अह्नः पञ्चसु कालेषु प्रातः सङ्गवे मध्यन्दिनेपराह्णे सायं वैतेषु यत्कारी स्यात्पुण्याह एव कुरुते ३

4. ³ Having put wood on the fire, and having performed (the preparatory rites) down to the laying of (three) branches round (the fire, the bridegroom) looks at the bride who is led to him, with (the verse), ‘Auspicious ornaments does this woman wear. Come up to her and behold her. Having brought lack to her, go away back to your houses.’

अग्निमुपसमाधाय परिधानान्तं कृत्वा वधूमानीयमानां समीक्षते । सुमङ्ग-लीरियं वधूरिमां समेत पश्यत । सौभाग्यमस्यै दत्त्वायाथास्तं विपरेतन । इति ४

5. To the south of the bridegroom the bride sits down.

दक्षिणतः पतिं भार्योपविशति ५

6. ⁴ After she has sipped water, she touches him, and he sprinkles (water) round (the fire) as above.

आचान्तसमन्वारब्धायां परिषिञ्चति यथा पुरस्तात् ६

7. ⁵ After he has performed the rites down to the oblations made with the Vyāhṛtis, he sacrifices with (the following Mantras),

‘May Agni come hither, the first of gods. May he release the offspring of this wife from the fetter of death. That may this king Varuṇa grant, that this wife may not weep over distress (falling to her lot) through her sons. Svāhā!

‘May Agni Gārhapatya protect this woman. May he lead her offspring to old age. With fertile womb may she be the mother of living children. May she experience delight in her sons. Svāhā!

‘May no noise that comes from thee, arise in the house by night. May the (she-goblins called) the weeping ones take their abode in another (woman) than thee. Mayst thou not be beaten at thy breast by (the she-goblin) Vikeśī (“the rough-haired one”). May thy husband live, and mayst thou shine in thy husband’s world, beholding thy genial offspring! Svāhā!

‘May Heaven protect thy back, Vāyu thy thighs, and the two Aśvins thy breast. May Savitṛ protect thy suckling sons. Until the garment is put on (thy sons?), may Bṛhaspati guard (them?), and the Viśve devās afterwards. Svāhā!

‘Childlessness, the death of sons, evil, and distress, I take (from thee), as a wreath (is taken) from the head, and (like a wreath) I put all evil on (the head of) our foes. Svāhā!

‘With this well-disposed prayer which the gods have created, I kill the Piśācas that dwell in thy womb. The flesh-devouring death-bringers I cast down. May thy sons live to old age. Svāhā!’

व्याहृतिपर्यन्तं कृत्वा जुहोति । अग्निरैतु प्रथमो देवतानां सौऽस्यै प्रजां मुञ्चतु मृत्युपाशात् । तदयं राजा वरुणोनुमन्यतां पथेयं स्त्री पौ-त्रमघं न रोदात् । स्वाहा । इमामग्निस्त्रायतां गार्हपत्यः प्रजामस्यै नयतु दीर्घमायुः । अशून्योपस्था जीवतामस्तु माता पौत्रमानन्दमभिप्रबुध्यतामियम् । स्वाहा । मा ते गृहे निशि घोष उन्थादन्यत्र त्वद्रुदत्यः संविशन्तु । मा त्वं विकेश्युर आविधिष्ठा जीवपत्नी पतिलोके विराज प्रजां पश्यन्ती सुमनस्यमानाम् । स्वाहा । द्यौस्ते पृष्ठं रक्षतु वायुरूरू अश्विनौ च स्तनं धयतस्ते पुत्रान्सविताभिरक्षतु । आ वाससः परिधानाद्बृहस्पतिर्विश्वे देवा अभिरक्षन्तु पश्चात् । स्वाहा । अप्रजस्तां पौत्रमृत्युं पाप्मानमुत वाघम् । शीर्ष्णः स्रजमिवोन्मुच्य द्विषद्भ्यः प्रतिमुञ्चामि पापम् । स्वाहा । देवकृतं ब्राह्मणं कल्पमानं तेन हन्मि योनिषदः पिशाचान् । क्रव्यादो मृत्यून-धरान्पादयामि दीर्घमायुस्तव जीवन्तु पुत्राः । स्वाहा । इति ७

8. See above, I, 1, 3, 5; I, 1, 4, 1.

इमं मे वरुण । तत्त्वा यामि । त्वं नो अग्ने । स त्वं नो अग्ने । त्वमग्ने अयासि । प्रजापते । इति हुत्वाश्मानमास्थापयति । आतिष्ठेममश्मानमश्मेव त्वं स्थिरा भव । प्रमृणीहि दुरस्यून्सहस्व पृतनायतः । इति ८

9. To the west of the fire he strews two layers of northward-pointed Darbha grass, the one more to the west, the other more to the east. On these both (the bridegroom and the bride) station themselves, the one more to the west, the other more to the east.

अपरेणाग्निं द्वयान्दर्भान्पूर्वापरानुदगग्रान्संस्तीर्य तेषु पूर्वापराववतिष्ठेते ९