Vedic Literature > Atharva Veda > Marriage

Some of the most poetic hymns in Atharvaveda come under this category. Hymn (14.1) having 64 verses and Hymn (14.2) having 75 verses, hymns (7.36), (7.35), (2.36) and (6.60).

The hymns (14.1) and (14.2) have most of the verses of the famous marriage hymn of Rigveda Samhita (10.85).

The marriage hymns deal with the symbolic marriage between Knowledge and Delight typified by the bride Sūrya and the bridegroom Soma. We will give only two verses from these two hymns.

"I am song, thou art verse
I am heaven, thou art Earth" (14.2.71)

This verse quoted in Bŗhadāraņyaka Upanishad (6.4.20)

While going from the bride's father’s house to his own house, the bridegroom utters the following to his spouse:

"Like a cucumber from its stalk
I free thee from here, but not there."

The “cucumber” phrase occurs in the famous tryambaka verse in RV (7.52) with the phrase “Here and there” having a different meaning. In AV, ''here'' signifies bride’s father’s house and “there”, his own house. In the RV, "here" means the “pleasures of this world”; "there" means the “sphere of immortality and bliss”.

Here is the verse (7.36), from the groom to the bride.

     "Our mutual glances, be they sweet;
     Our faces-may they show our concord;
     Take me within thy heart and let
     One spirit dwell in both of us (7.36)."

I give below the (crude) translation by Whitney of the same verse. 

     "The eyes of us two [be] of honey-aspect,
     Our faces be ointment;
     Put thou me within thy heart
     May our mind be verily together."

The next quote is from AV (7.37). The practice of enveloping the couple with a robe mentioned here is still followed in some parts of India.

     I envelop, thee with this robe
     I have, which from Manu has come
     So that thou mayst be mine alone
     And never admire another one. (7.37)

 

ATHARVA VEDA (14.1)
(FROM THE FATHER'S TO THE HUSBAND'S HOME)

Rishi: Sūrya, Daughter of Sun

Our homage to Aryamāan!
       the kindly friend who finds husbands.
Like a cucumber from its stalk
       I free thee from here, but not from there. ------------------- (17)

Enjoy you two together fortune's richest gifts,
    observing the Law in rightful bearing.
Brahmaņaspati, make the husband dear to her,
    and graceful be the words the wooer speaks. ------------------- (31)

Hoping for love, children, fortune, wealth,
     and by being always behind
thy husband in his life's vacation,
     gird thou up for immortality. ------------------- (42)

By me may she be cherished;
  Bŗhaspati has made thee mine;
live, a mother of children, with me,
  thy husband, for a hundred years. ------------------- (52)

 

ATHARVA VEDA (14.2)
(GOOD WISHES FOR MAN AND WIFE)

Rishi: Sūrya, Daughter of Sun

May you two, waking up in your pleasant chamber,
     both filled with laughter and cheer, and enjoying
mightily, having good sons, a good home,
     and good cattle, pass the shining mornings. ------------------- (43)

This woman says, as she throws the husks of corn:
Long-lived be my husband, may he live a hundred years. ------------------- (63)

Join this couple here, Indra, like
     a pair of chakravāka birds.
May these two in a good home enjoy
     with children the full length of life. ------------------- (64)

I am this, thou art-she;
I am song, thou art verse;
I am Heaven, thou art Earth;
We two together shall live here,
becoming parents of children. ------------------- (71)

(Flaws in the ceremony)

If the bride's sisters and young maidens
  have danced together in your house,
  and committed sin with shouts,
May Agni and Sāvitri free thee from that sin. ------------------- (61)

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