- Values in married life - 

In Sanathana Dharma, panigrahana or marriage is not only a ceremony, but it is truly a sacrament. It is not a marriage of bodies, but a marriage of two jeevas to discover oneness. It is not a marriage for only a few days, months, years or a few decades, but rather it is a marriage for at least seven lifetimes. Yes, at least for seven life times!

A wedding marks not only a marriage of bodies. As the bride and the groom stand beside each other, they are not only taking each other's hand into their own, but they are also taking each other's hearts, each others family, each others likes and dislikes and each other's lives into their own.

In mathematics one plus one equals two. But in Vedic marriage, one plus one equals one! Newlyweds are not two now. They are one: one heart, one mind, one family, one vision and one life. Discovering the fact that they are united in oneness, united in love and united in light is marriage. But, one plus one can also equal eleven. Coming together does not merely double who you were when you were alone. Coming together is not doubling your likes and dislikes, unhealthy thoughts and actions. It is not adding, it is all about growing!

The beautiful seven steps of a Vedic wedding represent seven sacred values. They are vows of dedication, vows of loyalty, vows of devotion and vows of love. These are the process of “Anthakarana Shuddi” or purification of mind. However, these steps are not taken only one time. These vows are not taken only on one's wedding day. Rather, the bride and groom must walk these seven steps – in their minds and hearts – every day. They must re-pledge themselves, their love and their lives to God and to each other every moment of every day.





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