२०

1. ¹ Facing the east, while she faces the west, or facing the west, while she faces the east, he should seize her hand. If he desires to generate male children, let him seize her thumb; if he desires (to generate) female children, her other fingers; if he desires (to generate) both (male and female children), let him seize the thumb together with the other fingers, (so as to seize the hand) up to the hairs (on the hair-side of the hand).

(He should do so with the two Mantras),

‘Sarasvatī! Promote this (our undertaking), O gracious one, rich in studs, thou whom we sing first of all that is.

‘I seize thy hand that we may be blessed with offspring, that thou mayst live to old age with me, thy husband. Bhaga, Aryaman, Savitṛ, Purandhi, the gods have given thee to me that we may rule our house.’

प्राङ्मुखः प्रत्यङ्मुख्या हस्तं गृह्णीयात्प्रत्यङ्मुखः प्राङ्मुख्या वा । यदि कामयेत पुंसो जनयेयमित्यङ्गुष्ठं गृह्णीयात् । यदि कामयेत स्त्रीरित्यङ्गुलीः । यदि कामयेतोभयं जनयेयमित्यभीव लोमान्यङ्गुष्ठं सहाङ्गुलिभिर्गृह्णीयात् । सरस्वति प्रेदमिव सुभगे वाजिनीवति तां त्वा विश्वस्य भूतस्य प्रजायामस्यग्रतः गृह्णामि ते सुप्रजास्त्वाय हस्तं मया पत्या जरदष्टिर्यथासत् भगो अर्यमा सविता पुरन्धिर्मह्यं त्वादुर्गार्हपत्याय देवाः । इति १

2. ² He makes her turn round, from left to right, so that she faces the west, and recites over her (the following texts),

‘With no evil eye, not bringing death to thy husband, bring luck to the cattle, be full of joy and vigour. Give birth to living children, give birth to heroes, be friendly. Bring us luck, to men and animals.

‘Thus, Pūṣan, lead her to us, the highly blessed one, into whom men pour forth their sperm, yā na ūrū uśatī visrayātai (read, viśrayātai), yasyām uśantaḥ praharema śepam.

‘Soma has acquired thee first (as his wife); after him the Gandharva has acquired thee. Thy third husband is Agni; the fourth am I, thy human husband.

‘Soma has given her to the Gandharva; the Gandharva has given her to Agni. Agni gives me cattle and children, and thee besides.

‘This am I, that art thou; the heaven I, the earth thou; the Sāman I, the Ṛc thou. Come! Let us join together. Let us unite our sperm that we may generate a male child, a son, for the sake of the increase of wealth, of blessed offspring, of strength.

‘Bountiful Indra, bless this woman with sons and with a happy lot. Give her ten sons; let her husband be the eleventh.’

तामग्रेण दक्षिणमंसं प्रतीचीमभ्यावृत्याभिमन्त्रयते अघोरचक्षुरपतिघ्न्येधि शिवा पशुभ्यः सुमनाः सुवर्चाः जीवसूर्वीरसूः स्योना शं न एधि द्विपदे शं चतुष्पदे तां नः पूषञ्छिवतमामेरयस्व यस्यां बीजं मनुष्या वपन्ति या न ऊरू उशती विस्रयातै यस्यामुशन्तः प्रहरेम शेपम् सोमः प्रथमो विविदे गन्धर्वो विविद उत्तरः तृतीयो अग्निष्टे पतिस्तुरीयोहं मनुष्यजाः सोमोददाद्गन्धर्वाय गन्धर्वोग्नयेददात् पशूंश्च मह्यं पुत्रांश्चाग्निर्ददात्यथो त्वाम् अमूहमस्मि सा त्वं द्यौरहं पृथिवी त्वं सामाहमृक्त्वं तावेहि सम्भावाव सह रेतो दधावहै पुंसे पुत्राय वेत्तवै रायस्पोषाय सुप्रजास्त्वाय सुवीर्याय ॥ इमां त्वमिन्द्र मीढ्वः सुपुत्रां सुभगां कुरु । दशास्यां पुत्रानाधेहि पतिमेकादशं कुरु । इति २

3. ³ After he has made her sit down in her proper place (see Sūtra 5 of the preceding section), and has sprinkled Ājya into her joined hands, he twice pours fried grain into them, with (the verse), ‘This grain I pour (into thy hands): may it bring prosperity to me, and may it unite thee (with me). May this Agni grant us that.’

तां यथायतनमुपवेश्याथास्या अञ्जलावाज्येनोपस्तीर्य लाजा-न्द्विरावपति । इमाँ ल्लाजानावपामि समृद्धिकरणान्मम । तुभ्यं च संवननं तदग्निरनुमन्यतामयम् । इति ३

4. After he has sprinkled (Ājya) over (the grain in her hands), he sacrifices (the grain) with her joined hands (which he seizes), with (the verse), ‘This woman, strewing grain into the fire, prays thus, “May my husband live long; may my relations be prosperous. Svāhā!”’

अभिघार्य । इयं नार्युपब्रूतेग्नौ लाजानावप-न्ती । दीर्घायुरस्तु मे पतिरेधन्तां ज्ञातयो मम । स्वाहा । इति तस्या अञ्जलिना जुहोति ४

5. ⁴ Having made her rise with (the verse which she recites), ‘Up! with life’ (Taitt. Saṃh. I, 2, 8, 1), and having circumambulated the fire (with her) so that their right sides are turned towards it, with (the verse), ‘May we find our way with thee through all hostile powers, as through streams of water’ - he pours fried grain (into her hands, and sacrifices them), as before.

उदायुषा । इत्युत्थाप्य । विश्वा उत त्वया वयं धारा उदन्या इव अतिगाहेमहि द्विषः । इति प्रदक्षिणमग्निं परिक्रम्य तथैव लाजानावपति ५

6. Having circumambulated (the fire) a second time, he pours fried grain (into her hands, and sacrifices them), as before.

द्वितीयं परिक्रम्य तथैव लाजानावपति ६

7. Having circumambulated (the fire) a third time, he sacrifices to (Agni) Sviṣṭakṛt.

तृतीयं परिक्रम्य सौविष्टकृतीं जुहोति ७

8. ⁵ Here some add as subordinate oblations the Jaya, Abhyātāna, and Rāṣṭrabhṛt (oblations) as above.

अत्रैके जयाभ्यातानान्राष्ट्रभृत इत्युपजुह्वति यथा पुरस्तात् ८

9. ⁶ To the west of the fire he makes her step forward in an easterly or a northerly direction the (seven) ‘steps of Viṣṇu.’

तामपरेणाग्निं प्राचीमुदीचीं वा विष्णुक्रमान्क्रामयति ९

10. He says to her, ‘Step forward with the right (foot) and follow with the left. Do not put the left (foot) before the right.’

अथैनां संशास्ति । दक्षिणेन प्रक्रम्य सव्येनानुप्रक्राम मा सव्येन दक्षिणमतिक्रामीः । इति १०