Imaà tanotu ariñöaà yajïagà imaà dadhätu viçve deväsa iha mädayantäà

oà pratiñöha

oà anena dépeëa çubhädhiväsaù astu

“Let the alert mind enjoy the ghee. Let the Lord start the sacrifice. Let the Lord bestow a sacrifice free from fault. Let the lords of the universe and sacrificer, enjoy here. Please may you all be present here.”

· Mirror

oà kåñëo vai sac-cid-änanda-ghanaù

kåñëa ädi puruñaù

kåñëaù puruñottamaù

kåñëo hä u karmädi mülaà

kåñëaù saha sarvai-käryaù

kåñëa käçaà kåd-ädéçä mukha-prabhu-püjyaù

kåñëo nädis-tasmin-ajändäntar bähye

yam-maïgalaà tal-labhate kåté

oà anena darpeëa çubhädhiväsaù astu

“Lord Kåñëa is the color of a new rain-cloud, therefore He is compared to a transcendental cloud full of eternity, bliss and cognizance. He is the original and supreme person. He is the origin of all activities and the one and only Lord of all. He is the worshipful Lord of the best of demigods, the controller of Brahmä, Viñëu and Çiva. Kåñëa is without any beginning. Whatever auspiciousness is found within or beyond this universe the devotee obtains in Kåñëa alone.”

· Fragrant oil

oà tad viñëoù paramaà padaà

sadä paçyanti sürayaù

divéva cakñur ätatam

oà anena sugandhi-taileëa çubhädhiväsaù astu

“The devotees continually see the Supreme abode of Viñëu, who like the sun in the sky, spreads His influence and blessings everywhere.”

· Tumeric

oà viñëoù vikramaëaà asi viñëoù vikräntaà asi

Viñëoù kräntam-asi viñëoù kräntaà-asi

yujyantyasya kämya hariù

Vipakñasärathe çono ghåñëuù na vähasä

oà anena haridåyeëa çubhädhiväsaù astu

“You are the three steps of Viñëu. Golden hued, as fleet as birds, carriers of the man who endeavours, the horses yoked to the chariot of the sun.”

· Cloth

oà yuvä suväsäù parivétaù ägät

sa u çreyän bhavati jäyaàänaù

taà déräsaù kavaya unnayanti

sädhyä manasä devayantaù

oà anena vastreëa çubhädhiväsaù astu

“He comes well clothed and youthful with sacred thread. Being twice born he is the best and most attractive. The wise men, desiring the Lord, meditating on him within their minds, are raised up to knowledge.”

Thread

A thread dyed in tumeric and sindhüra should be tied around the wrist of the groom nine times by a Vaiñëava brähmaëa. A married women with children should tie a thread around the brides’ wrist seven times. While tying they should chant the following mantras :

oà suträëäà påthivéà dyäà anehasaà suçarmäëaà aditi supraëétaà devo näraà

surindräà anägasaà asmaratéà äruhe mäsma syaye

oà tad viñëoù paramaà padaà

sadä paçyanti sürayaù

divéva cakñur ätatam

oà kåñëo vai sac-cid-änanda-ghanaù

kåñëa ädi puruñaù

kåñëaù puruñottamaù

kåñëo hä u karmädi mülaà

kåñëaù saha sarvai-käryaù

kåñëa käçaà kåd-ädéçä mukha-prabhu-püjyaù

kåñëo nädis-tasmin-ajändäntar bähye

yam-maïgalaà tal-labhate kåté

@FOOT NOTE: For a man, the thread is tied on the right wrist, for a woman, on the left. As the right side of a man’s body is considered auspicious, while for the woman, the left.

This procedure of tying the threads to the wrists of the beneficieries is also applicable in other saàskäras whenever the Adhiväsa is performed.

· Cämara

oà väto vä mano vä gandharväù saptaviàçatiù

te agre ’çvamayuïjaste asmiïjavamädadhuù

oà anena cämareëa çubhädhiväsaù astu

“The wind, the mind, the all knowing gandharva, the twenty seven constellations, all gather before You and offer homage unto You.”

· Sandal wood

oà kaù asi katamaù asi kasmai tvä käya tvä

suçloka sumaìgala satya räjan

oà anena cämareëa çubhädhiväsaù astu

“You are the Supreme Lord. You are one without a second. You are the object of all offerings and the instrument of all activities. You are the Supreme ruler, the most famous, the most auspicious and pure.”

Note: A piece of sandal wood, not paste, is to be shown.

· All Items

All the items should be gathered together on a tray and offered:

oà pratipan asi pratipade tvä

anupadasy anupade tvä

sampadasi sampade tvä

tejo’si tejase tvä

“You are the beginning. I approach You to commence this rite. You are the activity in progress. For continuing the activity I approach You. You are the completion of the activity. For success I approach You.”

The tray of articles should be given (to the yajamäna )to touch.

A four-wick, a five-wick, a seven-wick lamp or something similar, should now be offered

(in the same manner as the other items).

Sättvika Våddhi Çräddha

The performance of Nändé Mukha-Çräddha is not performed by Vaiñëavas as it is an offense to the holy name to worship the forefathers. Therefore, this ceremony is replaced by worship of the guru-paramparä and the offering of mahäprasädam (Sättvika Våddhi Çräddha).According to ones’ capacity, one should first offer gifts such as cloth and rice to Vaiñëavas and the brähmaëas, without hesitation, while meditating on the Lord and doing so only for His pleasure.

Then, one should perform vasudhärä and make marks on the wall with ghee. Then in the same place one should worship Mahä-Bhägavata Cediräja with mahäprasäda, water etc. (For the all the preliminary procedures see Appendix II)

@FOOTNOTE :

Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarti Öhäkura in his Mädhürya Kadambini describes three devotees as most magnaminous, Çréla Nityänanda Prabhu, Jaòa Bhärata and Cediräja Uparicara Vasu. The story of Uparicara Vasu, the great Vaiñëava king of Cedi, is described in the Çänti Parva of Mahäbhärata and in the Viñëu-Dharmottara Puräëa.

Uparicara was cursed by the åñis to go to Pätälaloka but even there he continued to worship Lord Näräyaëa.When the daityas saw him they attacked him with their weapons, but were unable to hurt him.Then they tried preaching atheistic philosophy to him, but to no avail. Finally, seeing the daityas determination, Cediräja Vasu bestowed his mercy upon them, converting them all into devotees. The demigods, seeing the condition of this exalted Vaiñëava, blessed him that while residing in Pätäla the pangs of hunger, thirst, weakness and distress would not affect him. He would drink the streaks of ghee called “vasudhärä” that brähmaëas offered to him with concentrated minds in sacrifice. Soon after, Lord Viñëu sent His carrier Garuòa to bring Cediräja Uparicara Vasu to Vaikuëöha.

END FOOTNOTE