tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88680163298033128942011-09-18T09:51:54.818-07:00LiTTiEBeEnoreply@blogger.comBlogger21100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8868016329803312894.post-32553788016064594902008-03-25T01:26:00.000-07:002008-11-15T01:41:17.489-08:00<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181593241274022626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kZ6xeiVcdUE/R-i3mYSz-uI/AAAAAAAAALo/AR6SIfqr9iQ/s400/Satapadi.jpg" border="0" />This is the most important rite of the entire ceremony. Here the bride and the bridegroom take seven steps together around teh nuptial fire (Agni) and make the following seven promises to each other :As per the Vedic rituals, the bridegroom sings the following : With God as Our Guide, Let Us Take,<br />-<strong>the first step to nourish each other<br />-the second step to grow together in strength<br />-the third step to preserve our wealth<br />-the fourth step to share our joys and sorrows<br />-the fifth step to care for our children<br />-the sixth step to be together forever<br />-the seventh step to remain lifelong friends</strong>, the perfect halves to make a perfect whole.<br />After the seventh step he makes her remain where she is and says: "With seven steps we become friends. Let me reach your friendship. Let me not be severed from your friendship. Let your friendship not be severed from me." The Saptapadi ceremony concludes with a prayer that the union is indissoluble. At the end of this ceremony, the bridegroom and bride become husband and wife. In some communities such as Gujarati, instead of seven, only four steps, signifying Artha, Dharma, Kama and Moksha are taken.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8868016329803312894-3255378801606459490?l=zrestha-bridal.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>LiTTiEBeEnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8868016329803312894.post-24117322278552780052008-03-25T00:57:00.000-07:002008-11-15T01:41:17.735-08:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kZ6xeiVcdUE/R-i8-YSz-yI/AAAAAAAAAMI/Ejy2r85wPug/s1600-h/50.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181599151149021986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kZ6xeiVcdUE/R-i8-YSz-yI/AAAAAAAAAMI/Ejy2r85wPug/s400/50.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong>Marriage</strong>, according to Vedic scriptures, is essentially <em>a pledged union of a man and a woman with the intent to follow the path of Dharma or righteousness</em>. "<strong>Vivaaha</strong>", in Sanskrit, means ‘to support and sustain.’ The significance of a Vedic marriage ceremony is to remind the couple to live righteously according to the codes of conduct to support and sustain Dharma. The Vedic scriptures specify the path of ‘Grahasthaasrama’ (married life) as one of the four prescribed means, probably the most important one, for realizing the Supreme in oneself by living a normal and simple life with total support from the spouse.<br />Vedic marriage is solemnized in the presence of Lord Supreme, the Invisible, as represented by the cognizable (five) fundamental elements of Nature, i.e., Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8868016329803312894-2411732227855278005?l=zrestha-bridal.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>LiTTiEBeEnoreply@blogger.com0