This ceremony is perforemed when the student finishes his vedic studies. Traditionally this was after twelve years of study at least, with the master of one veda. Because the graduate student is sprinkled with water in this ceremony he is called "Snataka".

The father or acarya should perform Vishnu puja, then vriddhi sraddha (see marriage preliminaries).

He should perform kusandika rites, calling in the fire named "Tejah", and finish virupaksa japa.

The brahmacari should sit on his right hand side.

He should thow ghee-soaked wod of pradesa length into the fire without mantra.

He should perform vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa:

Ajaya homa (oblations of ghee):

The acarya should offer ghee onto the fire five times saying each of the following mantras:

(Oh Vishnu, Lord of vratas, I have undertaken this vrata. I announce to you that I have accomplished the vow and have satisfied you. Overcoming illusion I have arrived at truth.)

Discarding evil elements:

The acarya shoud sit fcing north on kusa with tips facing north.

The child should sit in the northwest, facing east, on kusa with tips facing north.

The child should take a pot of hot and cold water mixed together which also contains rice, barley, urad dhal, moong dhal, sasrvausadhi, herbs and candana.

The student should fill his hand with his mixture and pour it on the ground saying :

In this water Narayan, Ananta and others have entered. I reject the inauspicious fires which cver, which conceal, which contaminate, which cause pain, and bring destruction to the mind, body and senses.

The student should take water again and pour on the ground saying:

I abandon what is terible, cruel and violent in this water.

Sprinkling water:

Directed by the acarya, the student should sprinkle some of the water on himself saying :

Be present here, varaha. I sprinkle myself with this water.

Directed by the acarya, the student should fill his hands with water and sprinkle himself again saying:

This is for fame, for energy, for knowledge, for strength, for the senses, for courage, for sustenance, for wealth and prosperity, for brilliance and respect.

He should sprinkle himself with water again saying:

Bathe me with those things which attain fame by serving you … song of praise, yor bed, seat, shoes, umbrella, fan, sacred thread and cloth.

The student should sprinkle himself with water once more without mantra.

Worship of Vishnu:

While standing, facing east, looking at the deity of Vishnu, he should praise the deity saying:

Narayan, shining with all pervading light, the king of all forces of nature, stands with the mounth , his followers, in the morning. You are the bestower of ten giftss. Make me the giver of ten gefts. I go towards you. Please come towards me.

Narayana, shining with all pervading light, the king of the forces of nature, stands with the months, his followers, in the daytime. You are the bestower of a hundred gifts. Make me the giver of a hundred gifts. I go towards you. Please come towards me.

Narayana, the supreme Lord, shining with all pervading light, stands with the forces of nature withy the months, his associates in the evening. You are the bestower of a thousands gifts. Make such a bestower of me. I am attempting to approach you. Please come towards me.

You are the supreme Lord, In the heart of all living entities. You are the all pervading guide of all shouls, the controller of al activities, the Lord of all living entities. You are the witness, the destroyer, the complete whole, transcendental to material nature.

Only the wise men who surrender unto the eternal of all enternals, the consciousness of all consciousnesses, the Lord who fulfills the desires of all living entities, who is situated in his own abode, attain eternal bliss. I pay obeisances again and again to Narayan.

Discarding the brahmacari symbols:

The student should take off his belt by lowering it to his feet, while saying:

Slip the noose of varune, the impediments in life, from the upper part of my body, from the lower part of my body and from the middle. Then let us, free from sin, be fixed in performing service to you, for the welfare of all.

The acarya should throw the student’s danda into the fire.

The acarya should perform Vyasta samasta mahavyahrti homa:

The acarya should throw ghee-soaked wood of pradesa length into the fire silently.

The acarya should perform Udicya karma, Vaisnava hom etc.

The brahmacari should feed the assembled vaisnavas, then he should take a meal himself .

. ivvah s<Skar .Marriage.

The priest should have performed his early morning duties (Snan, Japa, Puja, etc.) He should then prepare the arena for the Samskara, as described before. The flower garlands and the wedding rings must be sanctified by a Pujari beforehand by touching the lotus feet of the deity with these items:

The pujari touches the lotus feet of the deity with these items.

Then, he gives back to the priest.

In the case of a marriage for the hindu community, prepare: Some puffed rice for the Laja Homa. If not available, use paraboiled rice and fry it in ghee. A stone for Asmakramana. Some rice flour to trace the circles for the Sapta-Padi (the seven steps). When all the preparation is done, the priest should take care to see that all participants are well seated to attend the ceremony. He can either give them a written program or directly tell them the procedure, or both combined.

2> imlanI AaEr mxupkR :

The bride groom is invited to come and is well received by his in laws.

The mother of the bride welcomes him by waving a ghee lamp around him in Arati fashion. The father of the bride, or a representative, offer a flower garland to the bridegroom. The brother of the bride or the father, applies some Sandalwood pulp on the forehead of the bridegroom using a flower or a stamp with the holy names of the Lord. He offers some Caranamrita or Madhuparka (also some water to rinse the hand of the bridegroom).

The bridegroom offers his respect to the spiritual master (ex: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada), and takes his seat.

The bride enters the room, accompanied by her friends and the sound of Conch shells. A married woman offers her a flower garland. The bride then takes her seat next to her future husband (on his right side). The bride should not have her head covered. Thus, the bridegroom can appreciate her beauty. The bride is sitting on the right side of the bridegroom.

Three Brahmanas should throw some Akseta (rice mixed with tumeric) after each mantra (three times):

The priest should ask the couple to recite word by word the following mantra and perform Acamana.

Stuit >

Recite the Brahma – Samhita, or Narayan and Lakshmi Suktam, etc.

The priest and the couple hold water in their right hand, while the priest chants:

AaSyam! zu-itwae ACyut gaeÇ ££££££££££££££ das> ïIk&:[ iàTyawRm! ivvah s<Skar kmaRhm! kirSyaim .

Pour out the water through your fingertips onto the ground.

Priest and the couple hold in their right hand some water, yellow rice, coins, flower, and Sandalwood past.

The priest chants:

££££££££££££££ das>

Pour out everything through the fingertips onto the ground.

At this moment the father gives his daughter in marriage. He should say (or repeat after the priest):

Today, I select Sriman …… das, as a suitable husband to whom I shall give my daughter Srimati…… devi dasi in sacred marriage.

The father of the bride places the right hand of his daughter in the right hand of the bridegroom.

Then a married woman should tie the right hands of the couple together with a garland of flowers. The parents of the bride can place their hands over the couple’s as a gesture of the deed of gift, and the parents of the bridegroom under theirs, as a sign of welcome.

The priest ask:

Sriman ….. Das, do you accept Srimati….devi dasi, as your wife and promise to protect her in her material and spiritual life, and to remain faithful without divorce?

The bridegroom: Yes, I accept.

The priest ask:

Srimati….. devi dasi, do you accept as you suitable husband Sriman……das, and do you promise to assist him in his material and spiritual life, to be chaste and faithful without divorce?

The bride: Yes, I accept !

The priest should sprinkle some water from the Panca–Patra or pour some holy water over their hands while reciting the Vishnu and Laksmi Gayatri mantra:

A sweet bhajan. The married woman should untie the hands of the couple. They should wear the wedding rings. The couple should stand up. They should exchange garlands, with the bride garlanding the groom first. Then the bride should circumambulate the groom seven times in a clockwise direction while the priest recites:

Then the couple should offer obeisance’s to the deity, if in a temple, or to each other otherwise.

Now they should exchange their seats so that the bride will be seated on the left side of the groom.

The married lady should tie the Sari of the bride to the Chadar of the groom with a knot which should remain for seven days unopened.

The groom should apply red Kunkum on the part of hair of the bride, and the priest should say:

The groom should cover the head of the bride with her Sari.

Installation of the Fire.

Before the actual ignition of the sacrificial fire, as described below, the priest should recite and meditate on the following verse from the Srimad – Bhagavatam:

Place a piece of camphor on the top of the black line and arrange a few short pieces of wood to stand around the camphor in tripod fashion. Light the Kusa grass bundle or the stick of wood intended for that purpose, chanting:

Turn three times in clockwise motion, describing a circle above the Kunda with the burning wood or dry grass in the right hand. Thereafter, the camphor should be set on fire by inserting the burning stick or the bundle of dry grass through the space in the tripod-shaped wood pile, left open for this purpose.

16> AiGn pUja > Worship of the Fire:

Meditating on the fire as Lord Vishnu with the mantra:

The priest should worship the fire with at least five upacaras while ringing the bell:

Offer incense with the mantra:

Offer lamp with the mantra:

Offer candan with the mantra:

Offer a flower with the mantra:

Offer naivedyam avec le mantra suivant:

Optional: Parisesana, offering to the pranas.

The following mantra should be chanted:

18> SviSt invedn > Saluting the Directions:

This is also optional, if the fire is taking place in front of the murti.

The priest should offer some flower petals to the ten directions. First he will chant:

Starting with east and going Clock Wise, throw some flower petals toward each direction with the appropriate mantra:

pUvR me<> (East) pUvRZyam! ïI narday Svaha .

di][ pUvRme< > (South-east) AaGneyam! ïI kipldevay Svaha .

di][ me< > (South) yaMye ïIym -agvtay Svaha .

di][ piZcm me< (South-west) nE\Ty< ïI-I:mdevay Svaha .

piZcm me<> (West) àtICya< ïI zukdevay Svaha .

%Ttr piZcm me<> (North -west) vayVy< ïIjnkay Svaha .

%Ttr me<> (North) %idCya< ïIsdaizvay Svaha .

%Ttr pUvR me<> (North-east) @zaNya< ïIàòaday Svaha .

%pr kI Aaer > (Zenith) ^XvR< ïIäü[e Svaha .

nIce kI Aaer > (Nadir) Ax> ïIbilrajay Svaha .

AaEr > And:

Offer twenty sticks of wood two Pradesas in length, dipped in ghee, without mantra, unto the fire, You can add a Sruva of ghee.

Take the pot of ghee and move it a few times in clockwise circles above the fire. Afterwards, sprinkle some water from the Panca-Patra over it.

21> öuva s<Skar £ Purifying the Spoon:

Sprinkle the spoon with Panca-Patra water and move it in circles above the northern part of the fire three times.

Sprinkle water around the fire in a clockwise movement, chanting the mantra:

"O Aniruddha, bring forth the sacrifice, bring forth the Lord of the sacrifice for good fortune. You are situated everywhere, purifier of desires, purify our desire. May the Lord of words relish our prayers."

23> mhaVyaùit haem £ The priest should offer ghee into the fire, chanting:

24> puê; haem £

Perform this Purusa-Homa with the Purusa-Suktam. At every Svaha the couple should throw grains or Halava into the fire.

mhaVyaùit haem Offer ghee into the fire after every Svaha:

Laja-Homa is a symbol of prosperity and fertility. The significance behind this ceremony, performed mainly for the Hindu community, is that just as rice, when sown, has to be transplanted from the place of seedling to the paddyfield to produce a good harvest, in the same way, the bride cannot remain in the house of her father forever. She has to be given away to her husband, where she will prosper and flourish, and rear a family on her own.

Rice is an auspicious ingredient.

The following procedure will be repeated three times. The couple must each time walk around the fire with the bride in front. To please the three Devas (Varuna, Pusana and Gandharva) who were protecting her from birth to womanhood, and thus release her from their celestial bondage and give her in the hand of her husband (as a virgin).

When the couple turns around the fire for the fourth time, with the husband in lead, his responsibility as her protector starts.

The bride and the groom should stand up.

The groom passes behind her, and go on her right side facing north.

He should hold both her hands (palms upward) in his right hand.

The mother of the bride or her brother or a Brahmana places a stone (or a grinding stone and pestle) in front of the bride and she places her right foot on the stone.

The Groom should say:

Mount this stone and like a stone be steadfast in devotion at the feet of the Lord. Remove all disturbances, may you not be disturbed.

The groom places two Sruvas of ghee in her cupped hands (or in a small bowl).

The mother of the bride places some puffed rice over the ghee.

The groom pours again two Sruvas of ghee.

The bride says while offering the Laja to the fire:

"May my husband be long-lived, may he live a hundred years. May our devotion to the Lord flourish".

In Sansrit, the groom (or the priest on his behalf) repeats:

The couple should circumambulate the fire clockwise.

The bride in front.

The groom should say:

"The bride is going to the house of the groom from her parents house, having done her duties well before her betrothal. O bride, help us to remove the enemies as a flood of water cleans the earth".

Returning to the stone again, repeating the same procedure as before, the groom will say:

The bride will receive two Sruvas of ghee from her husband.

The mother will add some puffed rice.

The groom will add two Sruvas of ghee.

The bride offers everything in to the fire, while the groom or the priest (on his behalf) says:

"The girl has made a sacrifice to Hari. May the Supreme Lord Vishnu release her and me."

Again the couple circumambulate the fire, clockwise.

The bride in front, the groom or the priest should say:

Returning to the stone again for the third time, repeating the same procedure as before, the groom will say:

The bride will receive two Sruvas of ghee from her husband.

The mother will add some puffed rice.

The groom will add two Sruvas of ghee.

The bride offers everything into the fire, while the groom or the priest (on his behalf) says:

"This girl has made a sacrifice to Hari. May the Supreme Lord Vishnu release her and me."

Again the couple circumambulate the fire, clockwise.

The bride in front, the groom or the priest should say:

Repeat the same procedure as before with the right foot on the stone.

Pour the rest of the ghee and the puffed rice in her hand or in the bowl she is holding, then offer everything to the fire while saying:

"May this offering to Acyuta bring all auspiciousness."

The couple circumambulate the fire, clockwise.

Now the groom is leading, and should say:

"Soma gave you to Gandharva, Gandharva gaveyou to Agni. For the highest wealth and sons, Agni has given you to me."

In front of the fire, the bride should say:

"Let the path my husband treads be prepared for me. May I enter into his house in bliss and safety."

sPtpdI £ The Seven Steps:

According to the code of Manu, marriage has no strength or recognition in the hindu society if this rite is not duly performed. It completes the marriage ceremony.

Trace seven circles with rice flour, starting from north to east.

Accompanied by the bridegroom on her right side, holding her hand or shoulder, the bride will step in each circle with her right foot first.

She should now place her right foot in the first circle.

The groom or the priest on his behalf should say:

"Don’t let the left food cross beyond the right.." (Sankhayana-grihya- Sutra, I.14.5.)

Now she can step completely in the first circle, while the groom or the priest says:

"May Sri Vishnu lead you to strength."

She should step in the second circle with the right foot first with the mantra:

"May Sri Vishnu lead you to power."

The third step with:

"May Sri Vishnu lead you to uphold your vows."

The fourth step with:

"May Sri Vishnu lead you to happiness."

The fifth step with:

"May Sri Vishnu lead you to plenty of cows."

The sixth step with:

"May Sri Vishnu lead you to increase your spiritual wealth."

The seventh step with:

"May Sri Vishnu lead you to maintain the seven sacrifices."

"Be my companion for life. Fixed in seven vows. May I attain companionship with you. Do not break this vow."

Herewith the couple is declared married. Let the Conches blow and the bells toll.

Flower petals or sacred water are thrown on the couple as a blessing.

The couple returns to their sitting place for the final part of the ceremony,

Udicya-Karma-Homa.

When the marriage ceremony is completed, the couple can also ask the priest to perform Dhriti-Homa in the house of the bridegroom. This Homa is the welcoming of the bride to her new house and the sharing of food. This is also called the Caturthi-Karma, the installation of the sacred fire in the house.

For the opening of a newly built house or apartment, see the appropriate homa.

x&it haem £ Install the fire Dhriti:

Perform Mahavyahriti-homa:

Recite the following mantras with some offering of grains:

` #h x&it> Svaha . "May steadiness be in this house."

` #h Svx&it> Svaha . "May control of the self be in this house."

` #h riNt Svaha . "May you be happy in this house."

` #h rmSv Svaha . "May this house be profitable for you."

` miy x&it> Svaha . "May I remain stable."

` miy Svx&it> Svaha . "May I control myself."

` miy rm> Svaha . "May I be happy in this house."

` miy rmSv Svaha . "May this house be profitable for me."

ïImte ……SvamI init naimne .

he k&:[ kê[aisNxu idnbNxu jgTpte,

gaepez gaeipkakaNt raxakaNt nmae=Stute.

tPtkaÂn gaEra<ig raxe v&NdavneñrI ,

jy ïIk&:[cEtNy à-uinTyanNd ,

ïIAÖEt gdaxr ïIvasaid ïIgaEr-Ktv&Nd .

` hre k&:[ hre k&:[ k&:[ k&:[ hre hre ,

hre ram hre ram ram ram hre hre .

` àòaday Svaha , ` äaü[e Svaha , ` bilrajay Svaha , ` Svy<-Uvay Svaha ,

` dI]agurve ïImte …….. Svaha ,

pu[aRhuit £ Last offering:

The priest and the couple stand up.

The priest holds a spoon full of ghee (Sruva).

The couple hold a banana in both their hands and offer it to the fire after Svaha.

The priest chants:

The priest offers whatever ghee remains in the pot to the fire with the mantra:

The couple should circumambulate the fire seven times, clockwise, the husband going first. The family members and other well wishers should throw flower petals and rice over the couple as a benediction.

Durring the circumambulation the priest recites:

"Whatever sins I have accumulated in this and previous birth, may all the reactions to them be destroyed with every step of circumambulation I take."

The couple is declared united by the sacred bonds of marriage. They now go to get the benedictions of the elder Vaisnava or elder wellwishers.

The priest prepare the Tilaka-Dharana.

Clap three times your hands and chant:

After the ceremony, the bridegroom should offer to his newly married wife some Maha-Prasadam Sweets. He should feed her with his own hand. She will also do the same.