Marriage

Author(s): Natubhai Shah
Publisher: UK Jain Academy

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ZOROASTRIAN WEDDINGS
Marriage is considered to be a divinely ordained event in the life of a Zoroastrian for it is said that Ahura Mazda (God) revealed to Prophet Zarathushtra, that not only is marriage a righteous act but it is a commitment that makes even the earth feels joyous and happy.
It is a sacrament, a sort of holy sacrifice in order to share one's possessions with another, a holy union of two souls where love is sacrifice. The Zoroastrian stand-point is against treating it as a social or legal contract only. Marriage follows Divine path of God's own two aspects, life and form, in order to procreate the world. There is thus this lofty ideal - a perpetual harmonious blending of consciousness of two souls aspiring to make others happy. Viewed in this light, marriage is an important part in our life. According to Zoroastrianism marriage is a sacred duty, a blessing and also an opportunity for struggle against selfish isolation. The community must counteract the tendency among modern youths to treat marriage as a mere social companionship with a light heart or as an occasion of merriment. The sacramental character of wedlock should provide the correct background (a) the invisible presence of God (b) the solemn pledge to work together "till death us do us apart" (c) and, as the ritual points out, to multiply each one's potential for righteous merit by a family life of love and mutual understanding.
Prophet Zarathushtra, himself, declared in his divinely inspired hymns, the Gathas.
"I say these words to you, marrying brides and bridegrooms! Impress them in your mind. May you two enjoy the life of good mind by following the laws of religion. Let each one of you clothe the other with righteousness. Then assuredly there will be a happy life for you."
A. Choosing a partner
Matches are generally arranged by the parents with the consent of their children, though, now a days, there are many cases of marriages where marrying couples make their own choice. Mutual friends of the two families generally carry messages and bring about the arrangement. It is a religious duty, recommended by religious scriptures, a Zoroastrian considers it a meritorious act to help his co-religionists to marry. The Vandidad, our holy scripture, says: "If a coreligionist, be he brother or friend comes to thee with a desire for a wife, get him married to a wife. To bring about the marriage of a maiden, who has reached her puberty, with a good righteous man, is considered to be a very meritorious act." The marriageable Age at present is generally after 21 for the males and after 18 for the females.
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