Vivaah Sanskaara – Part I

ओं गृभ्णामि ते सौभगत्वाय हस्तं मया पत्या जरदष्टिर्यथासः।
भगो अर्यमा सविता पुरन्धिर्मह्यं त्वादुर्गार्हपत्याय देवाः ॥

Om gribhṇaami te saubhagat-vaaya hastam
mayaa patyaa jaradaṡh-ṭiryathaasah.
Bhago aryamaa savitaa purandhir-mahayam
tvaa-durgaarha patyaaya devaah.¹

I hold your hand, O Bride, as we pray for a long and happy life together. May we remain connected in thoughts, words, and action; may we provide comfort and companionship to each other; may we always be in the company of wise persons and may our Almighty God be always benevolent to our family. Let all those assembled bless us for a happy married life.

गृभ्णामि take, hold ते cause to सौभगत्व happiness, welfare हस्तम् hand मया by me पत्या by husband, with husband जरदष्टि longevity, very old आसः you being connected with भागः comfort and dignity अर्यमा judicious सविता Creator and sustainer पुरन्धिर् munificient, benevolent मह्यम् to me त्वा you गार्ह household पत्याय by husband, with husband देवाः learned persons

ओं भगस्ते हस्तमग्रभीत्  सविता हस्तमग्रभीत्।
पत्नी त्वमसि धर्मणाहं गृहपतिस्त्व॥

Om bhagaste hastam-agrabheet
savitaa hastam-agrabheet.
Patnee tvamasi dharmaṇaham grihapatistva.²

By the Grace of God, I hold your hand and am inspired to righteousness. I, your husband, accept you as my wife. Together, we shall accomplish our duties without any misconduct. May our home be happy and prosperous. 

भगः welfare, happiness ते your हस्तम् hand अग्रभीत् hold, take, grasp सविता Omnipotent God हस्तम् hand अग्रभीत् hold, grasp पत्नी wife त्वम your असि is धर्मणा righteous, according to dharma अहम् I, me गृहपति husband त्व  you

ममेयमस्तु पोषया मह्यंत्वदाद् बृहस्पतिः। 
मया पत्या प्रजावति शं जीव शरदः शतम् ॥

Mameyam-astu poṡhyaa
mahyam-tvaadaad brihaspatih.
Mayaa patyaa prajaavati
sham jeeva sharadah shatam.³

The benevolent God brought us together. Let us stay together for the rest of our lives and look after each other. We hereby accept each other in front of all those gathered here. May we be blessed with a long and healthy life together.

मम my इयम् this अस्तु be पोषया nurture, nourish मह्यम् me त्वा you अदात् given, entrusted बृहस्पतिः beneficient god मया me पत्या husband प्रजावति you, best of people gathered शम् together जीव may live शरदः years, autumns शतम् hundred

त्वष्टा वासो व्यदधच्छुभेकं बृहस्पतेः प्रशिषा कविनाम् ।
तेनेमां नारीं सविता भगश्च सूर्यामिव परिधत्तां प्रजया ॥

Tvaṡhṭaa vaaso vyadadhaach-chhubhekam
brihaspateh prashiṡhaam kaveenaam.
Tenemaam naareem savitaa bhagashcha
sooryaamiva pari dhattaam prajayaa.⁴

You are heavenly designed and so beautiful!. Your clothes and ornaments are special. You are indeed a gift of the Omnipresent God. May we be blessed to always be faithful as husband and wife. May we be blessed with the company of intelligent persons. May we be blessed with prosperity and good fortune. May the Almighty One protect us from all sides.

त्वष्टा heavenly designed वास: clothes वि special अदधात् is given शुभे bliss, ornaments, decor कम् joy, happiness बृहस्पतेः all the Creation of God, protector प्रशिषा teachings, training कविनाम् enlightened and intelligent persons तेन because of this इमाम् this नारीम् wife सविता Omnipresent God भग: prosperous, fortune च and सूर्याम्ऽइव परि all sides धत्ताम् hold, safeguard प्रजया projeny, offspring

इन्द्राग्नि द्यावापृथिवी मातरिश्वा मित्रावरुणा भागो अश्विनोभा।
बृहस्पतिर्मरुतो ब्रह्म सोम इमां नारी प्रजया वर्धयन्तु ॥

Indraagnee dyaavaa-prithivee maatarishvaa
mitraavruṇaa bhago ashvinobhaa.
Brihaspatir-maruto brahma soma
imaam naarem prajayaa vardhayantu.⁵

May we be blessed by our Almighty God to enjoy prosperity and good health. May all of nature be benevolent to us. May our breathing, eating, and living be healthy and lead us to good health. May our knowledge of the earth, space, air, water, cosmos, and weather make us live harmoniously with nature. May the medicinal plants support our health. May we be blessed together as husband and wife to have healthy and happy children.

इन्द्राग्नि the power of growth and development द्यावापृथिवी atmosphere and earth मातरिश्वा light and space, cosmos मित्रावरुणा the great benefits of proper breathing भग: prosperous, fortune अश्विना physicians and technicians उभा both बृहस्पति benevolent God मरुतः weather and seasons ब्रह्म God, Creator सोम medicinal plants इमाम् this नारी bride, wife प्रजया offspring, children वर्धयन्तु extend

अहं विष्यामि मयि रूपमस्या वेददितपश्यन्मनसा कुलायम्।
न स्तेयमद्मि मनसोदमुच्ये स्वयं श्रथ्नानो वरुणस्य पाषान् ॥

Aham viṣhyaami mayi roopamasyaa
vedadit-pashyanmansaa kulaayam.
Na steyamad-mi manaso-damuchye svayam
shrith-naano varuṇasya paashaan.⁶

I am immersed in your beauty and will always be. May we be faithful to each other. Let us not even partake in any food or anything without sharing with each other. I give up any restrictions I may have had and will always be of good conduct. May you do the same.

अहम् I, me वि स्यामि immersed, adorned in मयि in itself रूपम् beauty अस्या: of this वेदत् knowing इत् this पश्यन् seeing, observe, see मनस: with mind, knowing  कुलायम् home and family  न not स्तेयम् conceal, hide, steal अद्मि eat मनसा with mind उत् अमुच्ये I give up स्वयम् own effort श्रथ्नाना loosening वरुणस्य good conduct पाषान् restrictions, trap, tied