Vivaha ("strengthening") Samskara.
The fifteenth of the
life cycle ceremonies (samskaras) is when a man and a woman become husband and
wife.
Except for the few individuals who remained lifelong
celibates (naisthika brahmacharin), marriage was a necessary part of every
man's (and woman's) life, because the children born through marriage allowed
him to pay off one of the three debts, this one to the ancestral spirits
(pitr).
The literal translation of the word vivaha—it means "to
uplift" and "complete" a man—is one indication of the importance
attached to marriage.
Marriage has always been a serious matter in Indian society,
and for many Indians, it is still the most important day of their lives.
The importance of marriage is highlighted in the dharma
literature, which lists eight different types of marriage.
Eight classical forms of marriage are also available.
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