Vivaah Sanskaara – Part I

ओं सामञ्जन्तु विश्वेदेवाः समापो हृदयानि नौ।
सं मातरिश्वा सं धाता समु देष्ट्री दधातु नौ ॥

Om saman-jaṅtu vishve-devaah
Samaapo hridayaani-nou
Sam maatarishvaa sam dhaataa
Samu-deṣhṭri dadhaatu nau.¹

We hereby declare that we accept each other voluntarily and wholeheartedly. Our hearts are unified in this, and our thoughts and feelings are mutual.

सामञ्जन्तु agree together विश्वेदेवाः wise ones gathered, scholars समापो all flowing emotions हृदयानि with heart नौ us, we, me, I मातरिश्वा Master of all life, life-giving One सं धाता Creator समु together indeed देष्ट्री indication, direction,  दधातु grant, bestow नः us

ओं यदैषि मनसा दूरं दिशोऽनुपवमानो वा।
हिरण्यपर्णो वैकर्णः स त्वा मन्मनसां करोतु असौ॥

Om yadaiṣhi manasaa dooram disho’nupavamaano vaa
Hiraṇyaparṇo vaikarṇah sa tvaa manmanasaam karotu asau.²

O Bride, like the distant sun that sends its golden rays far and wide and like the wind that flows across the entire world so may you mind be attracted to me and may ours mind always be attracted to each other.

यत् that एषि blessing मनसा will power, mind दूरम्‌ distant, far दिशोञ्नु all directions पवमान: sacred air वा like हिरण्यपर्णो golden वैकर्णः solar rays स that त्वा you मन्मनसाम्‌ well-disposed to me, friendly in my mind करोतु do

ओं भूर्भुवः स्वः ।
अघोरचक्षुरपतिघ्न्येधि शिवा पशुभ्यः सुमनाः सुवर्चाः।
वीरसूर्देवृकामा स्योना शं नो भवद्विपदे शं चतुष्पदे॥

Om bhoor bhuvah svah.
Aghora-chakshur-patighnyedhi shiva
pashubhyah sumanaah suvarchaah.
Veerasoordevrikaamaa sayonara
shan no bhava-dvipade sham chatuṣhpade.³

Homage to our Almighty God, the bestower of life, the One who removes our sorrow and grants us happiness. May God bless you, O Bride, so that you always be as pretty as you are. May you always be blessed with a kind and loving disposition. May you always have a wonderful approach to your husband. May you always be loving and kind to your family members. May God bless you with brave and noble children. May you always be kind and caring with nature and the plants and animals that are near and dependent on us.

भूः bestower of life भुवः eliminator of sorrows स्वः source of happiness अघोरचक्षुः not stern-eyes; pretty-eyed अपतिघ्नी by not making husband sad miserable, not destroying husband एधि exist, be शिवा benevolent, good-hearted, even tempered पशुभ्यः to animals सुमनाः good, kind सुवर्चाः splendid, radient, brilliant वीरसूः mother of heroes देवकामा pious, loving like God, also – one who is kind and loving to brothers-in-law स्योना pleasant, agreeable शम् well-being, fortune नः I, mine भव become, be द्विपदे bipeds चतुष्पदे quadrupeds

ओं भूर्भुवः स्व: ।
सा नः पूषा शिवतमामैरय सा न ऊरू उशती विहर।
यस्यामुशन्तः प्रहराम शेफं यस्यामु कामा बहवो निविष्ट्यै॥ 

Om bhoor bhuvah svah.
Saa nah pooṣhaa shivatama-amairaya
saa na uroo ushati vihara.
Yasyaam-ushantah praharaama shepham
yasyaamu kaama bahavo niviṣhṭyai.⁴

Homage to our Almighty God, the bestower of life, the One who removes our sorrow and grants us happiness. May God bless us with increasing and limitless fortune. May there be no ill will, disunity, or illness. May we be blessed with good health, unity, understanding of each other, continued calmness with each other, desire, and love for each other. May we always uphold and support each other.

भूः bestower of life भुवः eliminator of sorrows स्वः source of happiness सा us, also नः us पूषा nourishing, increase, growth शिवतमः very fortunate, auspicious अमेय immeasurable ऊरू wide, spacious उशती ill, sick, harshness विहर separation, disunion यस्याम् strive शन्तः calmness प्रहर fight, assail, also-time of day शेफं rigidity यस्याम् strive कामा purposely, wilfully, also-longing/desire बहवो many निविष्ट् endowed with

The bride says. (See note 5.2)

ओं प्र मे पतियानः पन्था कल्पता शिवा अरिष्टा पतिलोकं गमेयम्‌॥ 

Om pra me patiyaanah panthaa kalpataa
shiva ariṣhṭaa patilokam gameyam.⁵

O Lord, please guide and protect me as I take this path of marriage. May my married life be auspicious, happy, and secure.

प्र forward, towards, ahead, protect मे me पतियानः leading to a husband पन्था path कल्पता competency शिवा bliss, auspiciousness अरिष्टा happiness, security, safe पतिलोकं sphere of husband’s world/home गमेयम्‌ going, go, departure