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Marriage and Position of Woman
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among the Jainas vary according to the influences of the province in which they live, yet they can still be regarded as the same in their main features as in ancient times. Such features are betrothal, going of the bridegroom to the bride's place, visit to the Jaina temple and performance of worship by all relatives, placing garland by the bride round the bridegroom's neck on the appointed auspicious day and again performance of worship and rejoicings.113 Around these main features various rites and customs have grown up according to the conditions prevailing in different provinces. Hence marriage ceremony among the Jainas is not of the same kind throughout India. Still the Svetambara and Digambara Jaina Acharya have tried to give uniformity to the rites to be performed at the time of the marriage ceremony so far as their followers are concerned. In this way the prominent rites of marriage ceremony are practically the same among Svetāmbaras all over India and the same is true about the Digambaras also. According to Śvetambaras there are 16 main rites in their marriage ceremony as follows : 1. Mātskasthapana
2. Saptakulakarasthapana 3. Varaghodā no sāntimantra 4. Hastamelapa 5. Agnisthapana
6. Homa 7. Prathamābhisheka
Gotrochchara 9. Mandapavedipratishtha 10. Toraņapratishthā 11. Agnipradakshina
12. Kanyādāna 13. Vasakshepa
14. Dvitiyābhisheka 15. Karamochana
16. Āśirvāda114
For Digambaras the following twenty rites are prescribed as a part of their marriage ceremony, viz. : 1. Vāgdāna
2. Vināyakavidhana 3. Kankanabandhana
4. Gșhasamskāra 5. Toranavidhi
6. Vivāhavidhi 7. Parasparamukhāvalokana 8. Varamālā 9. Varapratijñā
10. Kanyadāna 11. Devaśāstragurupājā 12. Homāhuti 13. Granthibandhana. 14. Pāṇigrahana 15. Saptapadi
16. Punyāhavāchana 17. Santimantra
18. Ašīrvāda 19. Svagặhagamana
20. Jinagļhe Dhanārpana.115
