Choices Given to Boy and Girl

The Vedic Tradition Gave Following Choices to Boy and Girl
For Girl - Swamyvar - In Which She Choose the Boy of Her Choice
For Boy - Choice to Marry or Remain Bachelor

Do it for Krsna

The reading of Bhagavad-gita and chanting Hare Krsna doesn't mean you have to abandon professional life, it doesn't mean you have to abandon professional ambitions. No, you can go ahead and go for your education as high as you want. You can go ahead and be as ambitious in your professional career. But do it for the pleasure of Krsna. If we work for the pleasure of the lord, even if we be in the material world, we will be free from the ill-effects of the illusory energy.

When Sannyasi - Family Incident

When Gour Govinda Swami became a sannyasi, he left his home, his wife and seven children. He was 45 years old and his children were still young. After he left, his wife and children were in great difficulty to maintain their lives. Because he had been teaching in a school, he was entitled to receive a pension. The government told his wife, “If your husband will sign a document, you can receive his pension. All he has to do is sign this paper.” One government minister came to him when he was staying in his bhajana kutira and told him that his wife and children from his purva asrama were in great financial difficulty and that they could receive his pension if he would sign for them. Srila Gaura Govinda Maharaja answered, “I have no family members.” He was really sannyasi. Sannyasa means social death. He maintained no connection at all with his past life. He refused to sign that paper. Why? Because he was cruel? No, because he had faith in Krsna. “I should not compromise my sannyasa vrata.” He knew that Krsna would take care of everything.

So he went to preach in a village where he organized a big pandal program. One young man from a very wealthy family attended that program. He was very impressed when he heard Gaura Govinda Maharaja’s hari katha. After he asked some of the devotees who knew Gaura Govinda Maharaja, “This sadhu is a great personality. If he was previously in household life, then I want to marry his daughter because if he is so qualified, then his daughter must also be highly qualified.” He found out about Gaura Govinda Maharaja’s family and went to their village and proposed marriage to his eldest daughter. She was married to him and he maintained the whole family very luxuriously. Hari katha is so powerful—it fulfills all material desires, what to speak of all spiritual desires. Govinda Maharaja had many pastimes like this. His character was astonishing.

two halves of the divine body

In Marriage, man and woman represent the two halves of the divine body. There is no question of superiority or inferiority between them. The duties include

1. Maintaining domestic peace,
2. Adjustment of social relations and
3. Attainment of spiritual perfection

Relativity Theory

Life is a relativity theory. A man lived a peaceful, contented life with his wife and children. His parents-in-law came to stay with him. After a few days time, this person was annoyed with the number of persons in the small dwelling. He sought the advice of a sage, complaining that he had lost his peace because his household had grown larger. The sage advised the man to bring in 6 hens into his dwelling for a month and then seek further advice. When the man visited the sage a month later, the wise man asked him, ‘So how are things now?’ to which the man complained that life had gone worse, because of the stink from the hens. The sage advised the man to buy a pair of oxen and two goats, and have them as pets in his dwelling, and return to him after a month for further advice. The man had no other option but to comply. He returned to the sage after a month and cried, ‘O Holy one! Life has become awful. The place is too crowded and stinks of garbage always.’ The sage advised him to shift the pets elsewhere and return to update him after a month. The man returned to thank the sage for restoring peace into his life. To which the sage smiled and said, ‘Son! If you recollect, you have as many occupants as you had when you came to me. It is your perspective that has changed, because of your experiences.’

That is life. It is when you wearily find your way through a hot summer day, that you understand the bliss that shade is.You count the blessings of life, only when you are thrust deep into problems. Till you encounter sorrow, you never understand the joys that God has blessed you with.

7 Blessings Given on Wedding

An important aspect of the Marriage ceremony is to light a sacred fire, created from 'ghee' (clarified butter) and woolen wicks, to evoke the God, Agni (Fire God), to bear witness to the ceremony.The highlight is 'Saptapadi', also called the 'Seven Steps'.
Here, traditionally the bride’s sari is tied to the groom’s kurta, or a sari shawl might be draped from his shoulder to her sari. He leads, her pinky linked with his pinky, in seven steps around the fire, as the priest chants the seven blessings or vows for a strong union.

1. May this couple be blessed with an abundance of resources and comforts, and be helpful to one another in all ways.
2. May this couple be strong and complement one another.
3. May this couple be blessed with prosperity and riches on all levels.
4. May this couple be eternally happy.
5. May this couple be blessed with a happy family life.
6. May this couple live in perfect harmony… true to their personal values and their joint promises.
7. May this couple always be the best of friends.

By walking around the fire they are agreeing to these. With each step, they throw small bits of puffed rice into the fire, representing prosperity in their new life together. This is considered the most important part of the ceremony, it seals the bond forever.
Bride and groom come to the altar as God and Goddess, in human form. In many parts of India the bride is considered Lakshmi, Goddess of Fortune, and groom is her consort Vishnu, the Great Preserver.