20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

The bride with the yoke:Interpretation of the Kauśikasūtra 76.11-13 1SHILPA SUMANTDeccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute – PuṇeIntroductionIn this paper, I wish to shed light on a passage in the Kauśikasūtra(KauśS) dealing with a peculiar rite of purification for the bride with a yokein the preliminaries of wedding ritual of the Atharvavedins. The sūtrasexplaining this rite are the KauśS 76.11-13. It appears that scholars havemisunderstood these sūtras and consequently have misinterpreted the rite.Here, I propose to present a fresh translation of the sūtras concerned anddiscuss the purpose of the performance of this rite.The KauśS deals with the nuptial ritual in its tenth chapter (kaṇḍikās 75to 79). The preliminary rites of wedding are dealt with in the sūtras 75.1 to76.14, the main marriage rites in 76.15 through 76.24, and the post-marriagerites in 76.25 till the end of the seventy-ninth kaṇḍikā, i.e. till the end of thechapter. The mantras employed by Kauśika in the wedding ritual are mostlyfrom the wedding hymns 14.1 and 14.2 of the Śaunakasaṁhitā (ŚS).1.1. The sūtras prescribing the rite with the yokeThis peculiar rite with a yoke which forms a topic of discussion in thepresent article, is a preliminary rite performed after the bridal bath. Thepurpose of performing this rite seems to be the purification of the bride. Itis described in the KauśS 76.11-13.The procedure of the rite in short is as follows: One person holds ayoke placed on the branch of a tree. The performer ties a piece of gold to1I am indebted to Arlo Griffiths for his useful comments on the earlier drafts ofthis paper.