I don’t know who is the author of this but I found this in an old email forwarded by somebody. I thank the author for the lovely words and quote the same for fellow Indians to read and revive Indian cultural values …..
Beautiful meaning of the seven steps (vows) taken by the bride and groom in Hindu Marriage which are supposed to unite them forever :
The Rite of Seven Steps
Groom, Step 1:
O’ my beloved, our love has become firm by your walking one with me.
Together we will share the responsibilities of the lodge, food and
children. May the Creator bless noble children to share. May they live
long.
Bride, Step 1:
This is my commitment to you, my husband. Together we will share the
responsibility of the home, food and children. I promise that I shall
discharge all my share of the responsibilities for the welfare of the
family and the children.
Groom, Step 2:
O’ my beloved, now you have walked with me the second step. May the
Creator bless you. I will love you and you alone as my wife. I will
fill your heart with strength and courage: this is my commitment and
my pledge to you. May God protect the lodge and children.
Bride, Step 2:
My husband, at all times I shall fill your heart with courage and
strength. In your happiness I shall rejoice. May God bless you and our
honorable lodge.
Groom, Step 3:
O my beloved, now since you have walked three steps with me, our
wealth and prosperity will grow. May God bless us.. May we educate our
children and may they live long.
Bride, Step 3:
My husband, I love you with single-minded devotion as my husband. I
will treat all other men as my brothers. My devotion to you is pure
and you are my joy. This is my commitment and pledge to you.
Groom, Step 4:
O’ my beloved, it is a great blessing that you have now walked four
steps with me. May the Creator bless you. You have brought favor and
sacredness in my life.
Bride, Step 4:
O my husband, in all acts of righteousness, in material prosperity, in
every form of enjoyment, and in those divine acts such as fire
sacrifice, worship and charity, I promise you that I shall participate
and I will always be with you.
Groom, Step 5:
O’ my beloved, now you have walked five steps with me. May the Creator
make us prosperous. May the Creator bless us.
Bride, Step 5:
O my husband, I will share both in your joys and sorrows. Your love
will make me very happy.
Groom, Step 6:
O’ my beloved, by walking six steps with me, you have filled my heart
with happiness.. May I fill your heart with great joy and peace, time
and time again. May the Creator bless you.
Bride, Step 6:
My husband, the Creator blesses you. May I fill your heart with great
joy and peace. I promise that I will always be with you.
Groom, Step 7:
O’ my beloved goddess, as you have walked the seven steps with me, our
love and friendship have become inseparable and firm. We have
experienced spiritual union in God. Now you have become completely
mine. I offer my total self to you. May our marriage last forever.
Bride, Step 7:
My husband, by the law of the Creator, and the spirits of our
honorable ancestors, I have become your wife. Whatever promises I gave
you I have spoken them with a pure heart. All the spirits are
witnesses to this fact. I shall never deceive you, nor will I let you
down. I shall love you forever.
We have taken the Seven Steps. You have become mine forever.
Yes, we have become partners. I have become yours.
Hereafter, I cannot live without you..
Do not live without me. Let us share the joys.
We are word and meaning, united.
You are thought and I am sound. May the night be honey-sweet for us;
may the morning be honey-sweet for us;
may the earth be honey-sweet for us and the heavens
be honey-sweet for us. May the plants be honey-sweet for us;
may the sun be all honey for us;
may the cows yield us honey-sweet milk.
As the heavens are stable, as the earth is stable,
as the mountains are stable, as the whole universe is stable,
so may our unions be permanently settled.
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