Vivaha Samskara in Grhya-Sutras of the Four Vedas: A Comparative Study of Marriage Ceremonies

Vivaha (marriage), in Hindu society, is one of the most important samskaras, out of the sixteen sacraments, which a person steps in with full understanding/consciousness. Marriage is a fascinating experience that stays alive in one’s mind throughout the life. The mantras and slokas of the Grhya-Sutras of the four Vedas, chanted in this ritual, are in Sanskrit and a vast majority is unaware of their meanings and just follows the instructions of the celebrant priest, purohita. The author delves deep into the Grhya-Sutras of Vedas and brings forth the details of vivaha samskara — principles, philosophy, practices, rituals and so on. Grhya-Sutras — Asvalayana, Sankhayana and Kausitaki of Rigveda; Paraskara (Sukhla Yajurveda), Apastamba and Hiranyakesin (Krsna Yajurveda), Baudhayana, Varaha, Manava, Agnivesya, Bharadvaja, Kathaka and Vaikhanasa of Yajurveda; Gobhila, Khadira and Jaimini of Samaveda; and Kausika of Atharvaveda — are well explored and seriously analysed, having given the original mantras in Sanskrit with their English translation. Of a rare kind, this book does comparative analyses of the number and type of rituals in each Grhya-Sutra and the order of performance of rituals. This scholarly work creates a sudden seriousness and sanctity to vivaha samskara through the detailing of mantras and the rituals. Being in it, one is not far off the Vedic period, giving a new meaning and dimension to our understanding of Hindu vivaha samskara and its sanctity.