Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 1

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

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of the three worlds, with a living festoon made from the rows of eyes of the people that have come together, is at the festooned door. His body entirely covered by his upper garment, he stands erect like a young king-goose veiled by the Gangā's waves. The flowers are being blown away by the wind and the sandal is drying up. O Sundari, do not keep, do not keep the bridegroom long at the door."
Such auspicious songs being sung aloud by the goddesses, she gave a respectful reception to the bridegroom deserving a respectful reception from the three worlds. Her loud-tinkling armlets beginning an auspicious song, as it were, she, having bimba-lips, kissed the forehead of the Lord of the Three Worlds three times with the churning-stick. With the shoe on his left foot the Lord broke the earthenware dish filled with fire as easily as a jar filled with snow. Then the Lord went to the shrine, being dragged by a safflower-cloth thrown around his neck by the one giving the reception. The hand-thread, adorned with a mairphala 188 like a bulb of love, was tied on the hands of the brides and groom. In front of the mother-goddesses the Lord sat on a high golden throne like a lion on the peak of Meru. When they had ground the bark of the sami and aśvattha trees, the women placed hand-ointment in the hands of the brides, like a pregnancy-whim of the tree of love. Then the Lord, clever, at the arrival of the auspicious moment quickly took with his own hands their hands with the hand-ointment. Then Sutrāman threw a ring 189 in the hand-ointment in the hollow of the hand, like
188 844. The mainphala (H), a small apple-like fruit, is tied to the wrist of the bride and groom in Gujarāti weddings. This is the madana of the text. Mainphala is the Randia dumetorum. Watt, Dict. Vol. VI, Part I, p. 391. The Marāthas use turmeric.
189 848. I have not been able to find any modern parallel for this use of the ring. The only use of a ring I have found is in a game played in Gujarāti bapiya weddings. When the bride and groom have gone to the bridegroom's house after the ceremony, the priest throws a ring and a rupee. Each one tries to get the ring—as symbol of which one shall rule the household. The throw is made seven times, and the
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