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The Grihya Sutras, Part 2 (SBE30), by Hermann Oldenberg, [1892], at sacred-texts.com


NDIKÂ 3.

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

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

3. 3 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

10. 10 And (he shows her besides the star) Arundhatî.

11. 11 (She says): 'I (N.N.) am held fast,' &c., as above (Sûtra 9).

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

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

14. 14 Thus she breaks her silence.

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.

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

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).

18. 18 The first food which he eats, should be food

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fit for sacrifice, over which he has murmured (the verses quoted in Sûtra 21).

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

20. The deities to whom it belongs, are, Agni, Pragâpati, the Visve devâs, and Anumati.

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).

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

23. 23 A cow is the sacrificial fee.


Footnotes

47:1 3, 1 seqq. Khâdira-Grihya I, 4, 1 seqq.

47:3 This is the standing description of the bull's hide used at the Srauta or Grihya ceremonies; comp. Sâṅkhâyana I, 16, 1 note.

48:10 Âsvalâyana-Grihya I, 7, 22.

48:11 The play on words (Arundhatî—ruddhâ) is untranslatable.

48:13 'Her Guru' means, according to the commentary, her husband. The commentary quotes the well-known sentence: patir eko guruh strînâm. Perhaps we may also take the Guru for the Brâhmana in whose house they stay. Comp. also chap. 4, 11.

48:14 Comp. above, Sûtra 4.

48:16 16, 17. Khâdira-Grihya I, 4, 7. 8. Comp. Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya I, 12, to note. The Gobhila commentary states that this Argha reception should be offered by the bride's father. On the different opinions of the Sâṅkhâyana commentaries see the note quoted.

48:18 Khâdira-Grihya I, 4, 10.

49:22 Khâdira-Grihya I, 4, 11. 14.

49:23 Khâdira-Grihya I, 4, 6.


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