Ceremonial rites and rituals occupy a place of utmost importance
in the life of a devout Hindu. In fact, there are no vital
actions– birth, initiation, marriage, death etc.– which can be
allowed to be performed without its appropriate rite or
samskara. The number of samskaras has been fluctuating but was
finally fixed at sixteen. Marriage is the most important and
elaborate out of these sixteen samskaras. Manu enjoins that
rituals should be performed in the case of a virgin for
legalizing the marriage, legitimatizing children and avoiding
public scandal. The mantras used in the nuptial rites being in
Sanskrit are beyond the comprehension of not only the average
Hindi but even the common priests entrusted with the duty of
conducting the rituals. To overcome this difficulty the present
book was originally prepared in Hindi and is now translated into
English with the mantras etc. romanized for the benefit of those
who do not have adequate knowledge of Hindi, for example
especially those whose forefathers had mig