When the auspicious hour arrives, the ceremony should start with the reception of the groom. A cow should be tied in the North side of the room.

The father of the bride should sit facing North and perform Ä camana.

@When the groom enters the room, the father should recite?????? Viñ ë u Smaraë am and Svasti Vä canam (see appendix II)

Then the father says to the groom:

oà sä dhu bhavä n ä stä m

“Welcome, be comfortable.”

The groom replies:

oà sä dhu ahaà ä se

“I have been well received.”

The father says:

oà arcayiñ yä mo bhavantam

“I shall now worship you.”

The groom replies:

oà arcaya

“Please perform the worship.”

The father should worship him by offering candana, garland, rings, upavé ta and upper and lower cloth, saying:

etä ni gandha-puñ pa vasaà si oà varä ya namaù

The groom should accept the items saying:

oà svasti

The father should fold his hands and say:

oà viñ ë uù

oà tat sat

Adya

....mä se (month)

....rä ç i sthe bhaskare (zodiac sign)

....pakñ e (fortnight)

Tithau (tithi)

kanyä dä n ä rthaà ebhiù gandhä dibhiù abhyarcya,

bhavantaà ahaà varatvena vå ne

“Today, at this time,........having honored you with gandha etc. I select you as the suitable husband to whom I shall give my daughter.”

The groom replies:

oà vå to ‘smi

“I accept.”

The bride, covered up, should be escorted around the standing groom seven times by her women friends. The bride should then be uncovered, and the bride and groom should see each other, and exchange garlands.

The father should say:

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

anuñ ö up chandaù

arhaë é yä goù viñ ë uù devatä

gavopasthä pane viniyogaù

oà arhaë ä putravä sa sä dhenur-abhavad yame

sä naù payasvaté duhä uttarä m-uttarä m samä m

“The worshipable cow gives abundant milk. May he milk her year after year.”

The groom should sit on an ä sana facing East saying:

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

gä yatré chandaù

virä ò viñ ë uù devatä

upaviç ad arhaë é ya jape viniyogaù

oà idam-aham-imä à pä dyä à virä jam annä dyä yä dhi tiñ ö hä mi

“I preside over this far reaching step for sustenance.”

The father should take twenty five leaves of kuç a wound two and a half times in counter clockwise direction in the palms of this hands with tips pointing North and say:

oà viñ ö aro viñ ö aro viñ ö araù prati gå hyatä m

“Please receive this kuç a grass.”

The groom should reply:

oà viñ ö araà pratigå hnä mi

oà prajä patiù viñ ë u å ñ iù

anuñ ö up chandaù

auñ adhyo viñ ë uù devatä

viñ ö arasya ä sanadä ne viniyogaù

oà yä oñ adhiù soma rä jï é ù vahvé ç ata-vicakñ aë ä ù

tä mahyam-asmin ä sane acchidrä ù ç arma yacchata

“I receive it. The great herb, the queen of Soma, being plentiful, faultless, and a hundred times wise, bestow blessings on me as I sit upon you for an ä sana.”