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), 'Sarasvatî! 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, Savitri, Purandhi, the gods have given thee to me that we may rule our house.' 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
5. 5 Having made her rise with (the verse which she recites), 'Up! with life' (Taitt. Samh. 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. 6. Having circumambulated (the fire) a second time, he pours fried grain (into her hands, and sacrifices them), as before. 7. Having circumambulated (the fire) a third time, he sacrifices to (Agni) Svishtakrit. 8. 8 Here some add as subordinate oblations the Gaya, Abhyâtâna, and Râshtrabhrit (oblations) as above. 9. 9 To the west of the fire he makes her step forward in an easterly or a northerly direction the (seven) 'steps of Vishnu.' 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.'
189:1 20, 1. Sâṅkhâyana I, 13, 2; Âsvalâyana I, 7, 3 seq., &c. The text of the first Mantra ought to be corrected according to Pâraskara I, 7, 2; in the second Mantra we ought to read yathâsah instead of yathâsat; comp. Rig-veda X, 85, 36; Pâraskara I, 6, 3. The bridegroom and the bride, of course, are to face each other; thus, if the bridegroom stands on the eastern layer of grass (Sûtra 9 of the preceding section), he is to face the west; if on the western, he is to face the east. 189:2 The words, agrena dakshinam amsam . . . abhyâvartya, evidently have the same meaning which is expressed elsewhere (Sâṅkhâyana 191:5 Comp. above, I, 2, 7, 13; Rig-veda II, 7, 3. 191:8 Comp. I, 2, 8, 16. 191:9 9 seq. Comp. Gobhila II, 2, 11 seq.; Sâṅkhâyana I, 14, 5 seq.
Footnotes
