Kanyadan

Hindu Dharma has advised sanskars to be performed during the sixteen principal events of life, so as to move closer to God. The most important of them being the ‘Vivahasanskar (Marriage sanskar)’! The true objective of a marriage is that two individuals seek the blessings of God to lead a compatible and happy married life! For this, it is absolutely essential to perform the ritual of marriage strictly as per the scriptures. This article explains the importance of the Kanyadan ritual.

1. Definition

        The giving away of the bride (daughter) to the groom is called the ritual of Kanyadan. People wonder how the ritual of Kanyadan is performed after the bride and groom have already wed each other. The reason for this is as follows. Every ritual includes a sankalpa (Resolve), the ritual according to sankalpa and pronouncing the fulfilment of sankalpa, or a ritual to that extent [for instance releasing water into the tamhan]. In the same way Vangnishchay includes the sankalpa of Kanyadan. During the marriage, the bride and groom garland each other. This itself is the ritual according to the sankalpa. This is followed by the ritual of fulfilment of the sankalpa meaning the ritual of Kanyadan. That is why it follows the wedding.

2. Sankalpa

        The father of the bride expresses a sankalpa of giving away his daughter by performing the ritual of Brahmavivah.

3. The ritual

        Taking a new bronze plate, the daughter is made to hold her right palm over it; then, the groom places his right palm over her’s and finally the bride’s father should place his right palm over the groom’s hand. Prior to that the father, should hand over the vessel containing the water charged earlier with a mantra for the ritual of kanyadan to his wife present on his right side and make her pour the water from that vessel into his anjali in a continuous fine stream. The arrangement is such that the water from his anjali falls on the groom’s anjali and from there on to the bride’s anjali and finally into the bronze plate.

        At that time the groom promises, “I accept this girl for the fulfilment of Dharma (Righteousness) and for acquiring progeny. I shall not cross the limits of Dharma, wealth and desire. I shall perform all religious rituals along with her. I shall conduct all financial transactions with her consent and shall not allow myself to harbour any sexual thoughts about any woman other than her.”

4. Importance

      The relationship of husband and wife becomes true only after Kanyadan is performed as per ritual and her progeny gets the lineage of the husband.

Reference : Sanatan’s Holy text ‘Marriage sanskar’