sUryA vivAha sooktam

Courtesy: Sri.Shambu Sastrigal

This mantra is from the "sUryA vivAha" (not sUrya vivAha) sooktam (85th in Rigveda's 10th mandala). Its easy and locatable reference is therefore "Rigveda 10-85-47."

It may be appreciated by going through the full sooktam. Interested may scrutinize my narration below. It differs widely from Griffith and a bit from Sayana and other traditional interpretations.

Any critique in the forum or privately is welcome. My ID is bhaarata at yahoo dot com.
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sAvitrI sUryA is the RiSikA of this entire sooktam.

Herein various deva-devataa-s are involved:soma, soma and arka (together), chandramA, nr`NAmAsheeh, etc. and sAvitrI sUryA herself. mantra-s 32-47 have sAvitrI sUryA as the devatA. mantra 47 is in anuStup.

Its cosmic import has been the role model and standard bearer for humanity (especially for Hindus). It is deeply embedded in the ArSa vivAha samskAram:

On the cosmic stage is the vivAha ceremony of Savitr bhagawan's daughter sAvitrI sUryA to soma deva. The RiSikA is a cosmic entity. The deva-devataa-s involved are all cosmic creatures. There is only one citation of any earthling (in mantra 40: te manuSyajAh).

In mantra-s 1-5, the RiSikA (also a devatA) praises soma who supports bhoomi, pr`thivI, many Aditya-s, and nakshatra-s. soma is He who supports pretty much everything we see in the day and night sky (this galaxy).

(Side note: soma mandala in our nitya pooja is that in which the Aditya mandala exists, i.e., our galaxy.)

mantra-s 6-16 describe the cosmic vivAha ceremony - here the RiSikA mentions a riddle pertaining to the twin Asvin's chariot (it has three wheels, and only two are visible, what is the third?). In this light, what is "aghAsu hanyante gAvo-arjunyoh paryuhyate" (done by all the deva-s) in mantra 13? Cows/oxen are not in the skies.

In the mantra-s 17-19, the RiSikA pays her homage to all the deva-devata-s: sUrya, all the deva-s, mitra, varuNa, and the soma-arka dual. The "navo navo bhavati jAyamAno-ahnAm....dIrghamAyuh" (mantra 19), commonly used as "asheervachanam", refers to arka who is born again and again, gives all the deva-s their portion, and prolongs their (and therefore our) lives.

mantra-s 20-27 are given with nr`NAmAshee as the devata, a participant in this cosmic ceremony. She prays vishvAvasu, who also courted sUryA, to seek another bride in her father's home, for this one already has a husband. She guides sUryA in her bridal journey, prays to aryama, bhaga, indra, varuNa, and all the deva-s for the perfect union of this wife and her husband. Further, she blesses the bride to be the gr`hapatni in her new home, kindling the gaarhapatyaagni, happily prospering with lovely sons (children) and, clinging to her husband, addressing her company, full of years.

mantra-s 28-31 are the sayings of some other deva-devata-s in the ceremony. They wish well to the bride, her husband, and her kinsmen.

The remaining mantra-s have sAvitrIsUryA, the bride herself, the heroine on the stage, as the devatA. She:

• prays for a safe journey to her husband's home,
• asks all the gathered to look at her and bless her and then return to their respective homes (sumangalIriyam vadhUh....saubhaagyam asmai datvAyA...., mantra 33),
• "see sUryA's roopam," says she while narrating her clothes, which, she says, pitaamaha brahma purifies (mantra-s 34, 35).
• Then she addresses her husband soma: I hold your hand for prosperity, etc. - te hastam grbhNami saubhagaaya, mayA patyA jaradaStiryathAsah (mantra 36), patirjIvatisharadah shatam (mantra 39), etc. (here I differ from Griffith and the current ritual practice widely).
  

Further:

• In mantra-s 40-41, the RiSikA reveals that soma obtained first, then the gandharva-s, third agni as (her) pati, and fourth those born of manu. "It is agni who has given me these riches and sons (children)," she declares.
• mantra 42: Addressing soma, she says: Here itself don't part, secure here the full age (vishvam Ayuh); let us play and rejoice with sons (children) and grandsons (grandchildren) in our own abode.
• mantra 43: May prajApati bring forth offspring to us, may aryamA adorn us for keeping decay and old age at bay. May I, the not-inauspicious, enter (my) lord's abode, may happiness be ours, of the two-legged, and of the four-legged.
• mantra 44: (I am) not fearful-eyed, not husband-killer, and shivA to good heart, radiant creatures. (I am) mother to heroes, gentle, and desiring the Gods. May happiness be ours, of the two-legged, and of the four-legged.
• mantra 45: O!Praiseworthy indra, render good divine fortune to these good sons (children). Give ten sons (children) and make husband eleventh.
• mantra 46: (may I) become the queen (sAmrAjnI = she, who rightly pleases the mind, cf. ranjayati iti rAjah) of husband's father and mother, and of husband's sisters and brothers.
• mantra 47: May the vishve deva-s (a class of deva-devata-s) and the Apa (a primordial devi) properly join our two hearts. May mAtarishvan, dhAtara, and deStrI(saraswatI) closely bind us two.

soma, the bridegroom, says not a single word in this sooktam, yet our present-day rituals (and therefore most  interpretations) make much of the above mantra-s as soma'ssayings.

End note: Let us not rush to blame Manu - he stated what was in the society (Manusmr`ti 1-118). Most fathers (and some mothers) teach their daughters all trivial stuff, and most daughters don't ask their fathers or mothers. All should copy sUryA and adore "jAyA cha patischa" families! There will be real happiness everywhere.