२२

1. Then they let her depart (in a vehicle from her father’s house), or they let her be taken away.

तां ततः प्रवाहयन्ति प्र वा हारयन्ति १

2. Having put (the fire into a vessel) they carry that (nuptial) fire behind (the newly-married couple).

समोप्यैतमग्निमनुहरन्ति २

3. It should be kept constantly.

नित्यो धार्यः ३

4. ¹ If it goes out, (a new fire) should be kindled by attrition, or it should be fetched from the house of a Śrotriya.

अनुगतो मन्थ्यः श्रोत्रियागाराद्वाहार्यः ४

5. Besides, if (the fire) goes out, the wife or the husband should fast.

उपवासश्चानुगते भार्यायाः पत्युर्वा ५

6. When (the bridegroom with his bride) has come to his house, he says to her, ‘Cross (the threshold) with thy right foot first; do not stand on the threshold.’

आगारं प्राप्याथैनां संशास्ति । दक्षिणं पादमग्रेतिहर देहलिं माधिष्ठाः । इति ६

7. In the hall, in its easterly part, he puts down the fire and puts wood on it.

पूर्वार्धे शालायां न्युप्योपसमादधाति ७

8. To the west of the fire he spreads out a red bull’s skin with the neck to the east, with the hair outside.

अपरेणाग्निं लोहितमानडुहं चर्म प्राचीनग्रीवमुत्तरलोमास्तृणाति ८

9. ² On that (skin) they both sit down facing the east or the north, so that the wife sits behind her husband, with (the verse), ‘Here may the cows sit down, here the horses, here the men. Here may also Pūṣan with a thousand (sacrificial) gifts sit down.’

तस्मिन्प्राङ्मुखावुदङ्मुखौ वोपविशतः । पश्चात्पतिं भार्योपविशति । इह गावो निषीदन्त्विहाश्वा इह पूरुषाः । इहो सहस्रदक्षिणोपि पूषा निषीदतु । इति ९

10. They sit silently until the stars appear.

वाचन्नियमावासाते आ नक्षत्राणामुदयात् १०

11. When the stars have appeared, he goes forth from the house (with his wife) in an easterly or northerly direction, and worships the quarters (of the horizon) with (the hemistich), ‘Ye goddesses, ye six wide ones’ (Taitt. Saṃh. IV, 7, 14, 2).

उदितेषु नक्षत्रेषु प्राचीमुदीचीं वा दिशमुपनिष्क्रम्य । देवीः षडुर्वीः । इति दिश उपतिष्ठते ११

12. ³ (He worships) the stars with (the Pāda), ‘May we not be deprived of our offspring;’

मा हास्महि प्रजया । इति नक्षत्राणि १२

13. The moon with (the Pāda), ‘May we not get into the power of him who hates us, O king Soma!

मा रधाम द्विषते सोम राजन् । इति चन्द्र मसम् १३

14. He worships the seven Ṛṣis (ursa major) with (the verse), ‘The seven Ṛṣis who have led to firmness she, Arundhatī, who stands first among the six Kṛttikās (pleiads): - may she, the eighth one, who leads the conjunction of the (moon with the) six Kṛttikās, the first (among conjunctions) shine upon us!’ Then he worships the polar star with (the formula), ‘Firm dwelling, firm origin. The firm one art thou, standing on the side of firmness. Thou art the pillar of the stars; thus protect me against my adversary.

Adoration be to the Brahman, to the firm, immovable one! Adoration be to the Brahman’s son, Prajāpati! Adoration to the Brahman’s children, to the thirty-three gods! Adoration to the Brahman’s children and grandchildren, to the Aṅgiras!

He who knows thee (the polar star) as the firm, immovable Brahman with its children and with its grandchildren, with such a man children and grandchildren will firmly dwell, servants and pupils, garments and woollen blankets, bronze and gold, wives and kings, food, safety, long life, glory, renown, splendour, strength, holy lustre, and the enjoyment of food. May all these things firmly and immovably dwell with me!’

सप्तर्षयः प्रथमां कृत्तिकानामरुन्धतीं ये ध्रुवतां ह निन्युः । षट्कृत्तिकामुख्ययोगं वह-न्तीयमस्माकं भ्राजत्वष्टमी । इति सप्तर्षीनुपस्थाय ध्रुवमुपतिष्ठते । ध्रुव-क्षितिर्ध्रुवयोर्निध्रुवमसि ध्रुवत स्थितम् । त्वं नक्षत्राणां मेथ्यसि स मा पाहि पृतन्यतः । नमो ब्रह्मणे ध्रुवायाच्युतायास्तु नमो ब्रह्मणः पुत्राय प्रजापतये नमो ब्रह्मणः पुत्रेभ्यो देवेभ्यस्त्रयस्त्रिंशेभ्यो नमो ब्रह्मणः पुत्रपौत्रेभ्योङ्गिरोभ्यः । यस्त्वा ध्रुवमच्युतं सपुत्रं सपौत्रं ब्रह्म वेद ध्रुवा अस्मिन्पुत्राः पौत्रा भवन्ति । प्रेष्यान्तेवासिनो वसनं कम्बलानि कंसं हिरण्यं स्त्रियो राजानोन्नमभयमायुः कीर्तिर्वर्चो यशो बलं ब्रह्मवर्चसमन्नाद्यमित्येतानि मयि सर्वाणि ध्रुवाण्यच्युतानि सन्तु १४