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SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
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mode has been categorised in the marital tie of Kusumasekhara and Gandharvadattā.'
विवाहमण्डपमिव दृश्यमानाभिनवशालाजिसंस्कारम् refers to the wedding pavilion having a newly constructed courtyard before it.
The word 'Agni sāksikam' referred to above covers within its fold the rites of Agni-Pradaksiņā and 'The Saptapadi' associated as they are with the expression ‘Pāṇigrahana' which is preceded by Rāșțrabhịta and other sacrifices such as Jaya, Abhyātana and Lājāhoma. The Rāstrabhrta, Jaya, abhyātana etc. contain prayers for victory and protection and aim at hostile powers known or unknown to the bridegroom. The last Homa (i.e. the Lājāhoma) is symbolical of fecundity and prosperity. The brother of the bride pours out of his joined hands into her joined hands fried grains mixed with Sami leaves. The bride sacrifices them with firmly joined hands standing, while the bridegroom recites the verses.
In pānigrahana or the grasping of the brides hand' the bridegroom seizes the right hand of the bride with -
'I seize your hand for the sake of happiness, that you may live to old age with me, your husband, Bhaga, Aryamā, Savits, Purandhi, gods have given you to me, that we may rule over house' etc.
The stone-mounting ceremony followed by praise of woman precedes the 'Agni Pradaksinā' or 'Agni Parikramā' wherein the wife treads on the stone to confirm her devotion to her lord and the latter praises her for devotion.
In Agni Parikramā, the couple goes round the fire while the husband recites the formula 'To you they have in the beginning carried round sūryā with the bridal procession. May you give back, Agni, to husbands the wife together with offspring's'. The rites from the Lājā Homa are repeated again and the bride pours the remaining fried grains by the net of a basket into the fire with," etc.
In Saptapadī, the husband makes the wife step forward in a northern direction seven steps with the words 'one step for sap, two for juice, three
1. अथ स राजा समुपजातहर्षस्तदासादनेन कृतकृत्यमात्मानं मन्यमानस्तत्रैवाश्रमे तामुपयम्य सम्यग्विहितेन विवाहविधिना
Terdu Tag: HR 101417591 TM Sm. ed. p. 343. 2. TM Sm. ed. p. 371. 3. Ibid. VofII. p. 224 L.6 4. Hindu Samskāras p. 218. 5. Ibid. p. 219.
