The ritual of the Groom showing the Bride the Twin Stars - Arundhati and Vashistha
A Hindu Marriage is called Vivah and the ceremony is called Vivah Samskara because in Vedic tradition it is an important turning point in the life of a household and in the destiny of the souls that depend upon the Vivah for their return to the earth.
Hindi Marriage rituals vary throughout India depending on the region and caste of the bride and the groom. Broadly, these rituals can be classified as pre-marriage, marriage, and post-marriage rituals. Think of the actual wedding ceremony as if it were a romantic story, where the bride and the groom come to the Mandap, separately, as if unknown to each other. Then they fall in love and ask the parents' permission to get married. During the various rituals, the couple commits to remain faithful to each other and repeat the pledge in front of the Fire God, the Agni and all the witnesses. Then, they walk seven steps together committing to seven marriage vows to each other, about their future life together. We all bless them and wish them a very happy life and they leave the Mandap as a newly married couple!
What stars are Vishishtha and Arundhati?
Thousands of years ago the ancient rishis could identify two tiny spots in the sky as a twin star system. They named it Arundhati-Vashistha.
Mizar is known as Vashistha and Alcor is known as Arundhati in traditional Indian astronomy.
(Revival of True India)
What is the significance of Vishistha and Arundhati?
Arundhati (Sanskrit: अरुन्धती) is the wife of the sage Vashistha, one of the seven sages (Saptarshi) identified with the Ursa Major. She is identified with the morning star and also with the star Alcor which forms a double star with Mizar (identified as Vashista Maharshi) in Ursa Major. Arundhati, though the wife of one of the seven seers, is accorded the same status as the seven seers and is worshiped with them as such. In the Vedic and Puranic literature, she is regarded as the epitome of chastity, conjugal bliss and wifely devotion.[In post-Puranic epic poems in Sanskrit and Hindi, she has been described as “chaste and revered” and with a character that is “unblemished, inspiring and worthy of imitation.
"One of the Hindu Marriage rituals is the one during which the groom shows the bride the double stars of Vashishtha and Arundhati as seen in the images below."
What stars are Vishishtha and Arundhati?
Thousands of years ago the ancient rishis could identify two tiny spots in the sky as a twin star system. They named it Arundhati-Vashistha.
Mizar is known as Vashistha and Alcor is known as Arundhati in traditional Indian astronomy.
(Revival of True India)
What is the significance of Vishistha and Arundhati?
Arundhati (Sanskrit: अरुन्धती) is the wife of the sage Vashistha, one of the seven sages (Saptarshi) identified with the Ursa Major. She is identified with the morning star and also with the star Alcor which forms a double star with Mizar (identified as Vashista Maharshi) in Ursa Major. Arundhati, though the wife of one of the seven seers, is accorded the same status as the seven seers and is worshiped with them as such. In the Vedic and Puranic literature, she is regarded as the epitome of chastity, conjugal bliss and wifely devotion.[In post-Puranic epic poems in Sanskrit and Hindi, she has been described as “chaste and revered” and with a character that is “unblemished, inspiring and worthy of imitation.
(Wikipedia)
The secret of the twin stars.
In most twin stars system one star is stationary and other rotates around it, while Arundhati and Vashishtha both rotate in synchrony with each-other.
This is symbolic to what Hindu marriage wants the newly wed to learn that husband or the wife should not 'dance to the tune' of the other, instead a good marriage is where both are in perfect sync and harmony with each other. This also signifies that both the husband and the wife are given equal status in a Hindu Marriage.
It seems incredible and almost improbable that the Indian ancestors/scholars were aware of the existence of such stars existing and how they revolved around each other.
Since ancient times, women in India had a higher stature in society. Henceforth the name is Arundhati-Vashistha and not Vashistha-Arundhati.
(Revival of True India)
The secret of the twin stars.
In most twin stars system one star is stationary and other rotates around it, while Arundhati and Vashishtha both rotate in synchrony with each-other.
This is symbolic to what Hindu marriage wants the newly wed to learn that husband or the wife should not 'dance to the tune' of the other, instead a good marriage is where both are in perfect sync and harmony with each other. This also signifies that both the husband and the wife are given equal status in a Hindu Marriage.
It seems incredible and almost improbable that the Indian ancestors/scholars were aware of the existence of such stars existing and how they revolved around each other.
Since ancient times, women in India had a higher stature in society. Henceforth the name is Arundhati-Vashistha and not Vashistha-Arundhati.
(Revival of True India)
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