Hey Guys!!!!

Here is the 65th chapter.

I don't own Mahabharat.

Tighten your seat belts. We are here for a long ride. 

It is happening at last. 😇🥳

Happy Reading!!

Point to note before you read ahead. Anything in italics was most probably in Sanskrit, I have written few Sanskrit shlokas with their meanings, rest are written in English.
And italic plus underline are the 'thoughts'.

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Karn POV

When Krishna and Balram raised Ananya on their shoulder, it astounded me, I didn't except that. They without any problem, of course, brought her to the Mandap and put her down in front of me.

Balram turned to me, "Hum aapni jaan de rahein hai aapko, Ang- Raj. Ise Khush rakhiyega." (We are giving you our life- line, Ang- Raj. Keep her happy.)

"Humare vachan hai, Balram" (You have my word, Balram.) I promise. Both of them smile at me, before walking to sit at their place.

"Murat Ho Gaya hai, shaadi shuru ki ja sakti hai." (The time has come to start the wedding) The Pandit says.

"Shuru Kijiye Pandit ji." (Start it, Pandit ji.) Vasudev says.
Oh Lord, he is going to my father- in- law.

The pandit Ji started to chant some mantras.

"Kitni Khoobsurat peheli mulakat hai, 15 din ke baad." (Such a beautiful meeting after 15 days.) Ananya whispers. Her voice, oh lord, it is better than what I dreamed of.

"Janta Hun." (I know.) I whisper back. "Tum bahut hi Hot lag rahi Ho." (You are looking very hot.)

I take a glance at her, while looking at Ma, who was sitting there smiling widely. Ananya is blushing looking down. I love the way she reacts at my words.

"Var mala ki rasm shuru ki jaye." (We start the ritual of garland exchange (Var- Mala)) He tells Ananya, we raise and Subhadra steps forward with the Var- mala on the plate, in her hand.
While Dushala steps forward on my side.

We exchange garlands, first she puts it around my neck and then I return the favor. 

Oh My! I am really getting married to Ananya.

"Kanya Dan ka rasm shuru Kiya jayega." (The ritual of Kanya dan has begun.) The pandit declares.

Vasudev ji steps forward from his seat and sits at the place, the pandit guides him at. When Ananya is seated and I follow.

Ananya places her hand in her fathers. And the pandit starts with chanting that I am not concentrating on.

"I, Vasudev Yadav, hereby give you, Surya Putra Kaunteya Radheya Karn, my daughter Ananya Sitara Yadav. Be pleased to accept hand of my daughter."

Ananya has misty eyes, she must remembering her father.
I look around, Devaki ji has tears in her, so does Balram and Krishna. I turn to the other side, where Ma and Kaki are, Ma is crying, but a lovely smile is present on her face.

"Aapna haath bhadaiye." (Move your hand ahead.) Pandit ji tells me and I follow the order. Vasudev ji places Ananya's hand in mine while the Pandit is chanting the Kamasukta Verse.

Who offered this maiden? to whom is she offered?
Kama (the god of love) gave her to me, that I may love her

Love is the giver, love is the acceptorEnter thou, the bride, the ocean of love

With love then, I receive thee
May she remain thine, thine own, O God of love
Verily, thou art, prosperity itself
May the heaven bestow thee, may the earth receive thee

There are some Sanskrit words that the Pandit ji asks me to repeat. I am basically promising Vasudev ji that I will not fail the bride in his pursuit of dharma (moral and lawful life), artha (wealth) and kama (love).
Repeating the promise three times.

"Parighrana ke rasm ko shuru Kiya jata hai." (The ritual of Parighrana has begun.) Pandit ji declares.

Devaki Ji steps ahead, handing me a Diya, which I lit and it's then placed near the Havan Kund that is already blazing.

"Aap Paschim ka samana karte hue beitheiye." (You are going to sit facing west.) Pandit ji tells me. Ananya sits in front of me, facing Purav. (East)
Her hand is placed over mine and I squeeze it ever so slightly. She smiles a little more.

Pandit ji starts to chant,

"I take thy hand in mine, yearning for happiness
I ask thee, to live with me, as thy husband
Till both of us, with age, grow old

Know this, as I declare, that the Gods
Bhaga, Aryama, Savita and Purandhi, have bestowed thy person, upon me
that I may fulfill, my Dharmas of the householder, with thee

This I am, That art thou
The Sāman I, the Ŗc thou
The Heavens I, the Earth thou

The pandit ji declares, "Saptapdi ki rasam shuru ki jati hai." (The ritual of Saptapdi has begun.)

He turns to where Ananya's family is seated. "Var aur Vadhu ke dupatta ko bandh dijiye." (Tie the three knots, in brides and groom's dupatta.)

Devaki ji step ahead, picking the red bridal dupatta of Ananya and my Angvastram, and Balram ties both of them together, his face passive. I know he is crying in side.
Ananya notices it too, she squeezes his hand ones he is done. He carcasses his head before stepping behind, smiling a little.

"The world of men and women, united in the bond of marriage by Saptapadi, to further promote the joy of life, together listen with triumph." Pandit ji says and we rise, I take her hand in mine.

"I clasp thy hand and enter into the holy state of matrimony so that we may be blessed with prosperity and noble progeny. Mayst, thou live with me happily throughout life! Through the grace of the all-mighty Lord, who is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and in the presence of this august assemblage, thou art being given away in marriage so that we may together rightly perform our duties as householders.

With all my strength and resources, I have clasped thy hand; and thus united, we shall together follow the path of virtue. Thou art my lawfully wedded wife and I am thy lawfully wedded husband. God, the protector and sustainer of all, has given thee to me. From today, it devolves upon me to protect and maintain thee. Blessed with children, mayst thou live happily with me as thy husband for the full span of human life (a hundred years).

Following the divine law and the words of wisdom uttered by the sages, may we make a good couple and may God vouchsafe unto us a shining life of virtue and happiness.

As God nourishes and sustains all creatures through His great forces like the sun, the moon, the earth, the air etc., so may He bless my wife with healthy and virtuous progeny and may you all assembled here bless her"

And declare as Pandit ji directed.

"Vadhu aage chalengi." (The bride is going to walk ahead.) Pandit ji guides and we are ready when he starts his chanting.

First Round,

Groom's vow: Oh! you who feeds life-sustaining food, nourish my visitors, friends, parents and off springs with food and drinks. Oh! beautiful lady, I, as a form of Vishnu, take this first step with you for food. Bride's vow: Yes, whatever food you earn with hard work, I will safeguard it, prepare it to nourish you. I promise to respect your wishes, and nourish your friends and family as well.

Second Round,
Groom's vow: Oh! thoughtful and beautiful lady, with a well- managed home, with purity of behavior and thought, you will enable us to be strong, energetic and happy. Oh! beautiful lady, I, as Vishnu, take this second step with you for the strength of body, character and being.
Bride's vow: Yes, I will manage the home according to my ability and reason. Together, I promise, to keep a home that is healthy, strength and energy giving.

Third Round,
Groom's vow: Oh! skillful and beautiful lady, I promise to devote myself to earning a livelihood by fair means, to discuss, and let you manage and preserve our wealth. Oh! dear lady, I, as Vishnu form, cover this third step with you to thus prosper in our wealth.
Bride's vow: Yes, I join you in managing our income and expenses. I promise to seek your consent, as I manage our wealth, fairly earned, so it grows and sustains our family.

"Var age Ajayie." (The groom has to come ahead.) Pandit ji says and we do as told.

Fourth Round,
Groom's vow: Oh! dear lady, I promise to trust your decisions about the household and your choices; I promise to dedicate myself to help our community prosper, the matters outside the house. This shall bring us respect. Oh! my lady, I, as Vishnu, take this fourth step with you to participate in our world.
Bride's vow: Yes, I promise to strive to make the best home for us, anticipate and provide necessary things for your worldly life, and for the happiness of our family.

Fifth Round,
Groom's vow: Oh! lady of skill and pure thoughts, I promise to consult with you and engage you in the keep of our cows, our agriculture and our source of income; I promise to contribute to our country. It shall win us future. Oh! my skilled lady, I, as Vishnu form, take this fifth step with you to together grow our farms and cattle.
Bride's vow: Yes, I promise to participate and protect the cattle, our agriculture and business. They are a source of yoghurt, milk, ghee, and income, all useful for our family, necessary for our happiness.

Sixth Round,
Groom's vow: Oh! lovely lady, I seek you and only you, to love, to have children, to raise a family, to experience all the seasons of life. Oh! my lovely lady, I, as Vishnu, take this sixth step with you to experience every season of life.
Bride's vow: Feeling one with you, with your consent, I will be the means of your enjoyment of all the senses. Through life's seasons, I will cherish you in my heart. I will worship you and seek to complete you.

"Saath Mein chaliye." (Walk together.) Pandit ji says.

Seventh Round,
Groom's vow: Oh friends! allow us to cover the seventh step together, this promise, our Saptapad-friendship. Please be my constant wife.
Bride's vow: Yes, today, I gained you, I secured the highest kind of friendship with you. I will remember the vows we just took and adore you forever sincerely with all my heart.

"Mere baad dohraein." (Repeat after me.) Pandit ji orders.

"We have taken the Seven Steps. You have become mine forever. Yes, we have become partners. I have become yours. Hereafter, I cannot live without you. Do not live without me. Let us share the joys. We are word and meaning, united. You are thought and I am sound. May the night be honey-sweet for us. May the morning be honey-sweet for us. May the earth be honey-sweet for us. May the heavens be honey-sweet for us. May the plants be honey-sweet for us. May the sun be all honey for us. May the cows yield us honey-sweet milk. As the heavens are stable, as the earth is stable, as the mountains are stable, as the whole universe is stable, so may our union be permanently settled."

Ananya is now made to stand at my left signifying her dedication to me. We are settled down back and Ma steps ahead with Mata, in each of their hand is a plate. Ma holds the Chudamani while Mata has the Sindoor.

Her bridal dupatta is arranged on her head so that I can put the Chudamani on her head and fill her head's partition with Sindoor.
Next Krishna steps ahead with a red cloth, he bends towards me and raises the cloth to me. There is a black and gold necklace with diamonds on the lower section, in shape of two peacocks. There are a pair of ear- rings too.

"Pehena dijiye usse, yeh bhi." (Make her wear this, also) Krishna guides me into tying it around her neck. I wrap the ear- rings back in the cloth and hand it to her.

Then a series of chants are started by Pandit ji and occasionally I am told to sacrifice something in the Havan Kund. Her right hand is resting on my hand.
It's for this Havan, so that she all so gets the full benefit of the havan through symbolic participation.

"Doosri shaadi karoge?" (Will you marry again?) she whispers asks.

"Is Agni ki shapat ke kar kehta Hun, Mandap pe tumhare sivaye kisi aur ke saath nahi baithunga." (I take the vow keeping this fire as the testifier that I will only sit on Mandap, with you and nobody else.) I vow. She smiles at me cutely and I try to concentrate on the Havan.

When sixteen mantras are recited, for the Havan, we are done with it.
And Devika Ji, brings a flat granite stone, placing it on the right side of the fire.
I am directed to take her right toe, and lift her legs placing it on the stone, and recites some mantra.

May you stand on this firm stone. May you be rock-firm during your stay on this grinding stone. May you stand up to those who oppose you while you carry out your time- honored responsibilities as a wife sanctioned by the Vedas and tradition. May you develop tolerance to your enemies and put up a fair fight to defend your legitimate rights as the head of the household in a firm manner, equal to the steady strength of this grinding stone.

I am also directed to put on two silver rings on the either toes of the her, after the recitation.

"Laaja Homam, ke liye Chhote Bhrata aage aayein." (For, Laaja Homam, the younger brother has to come forward.) Pandit ji says.

When Krishna steps ahead, Ananya is told to cup her over mine standing in front of the Homam, Krishna fills her cupped hands with parched rice. I am told to drop of ghee, recite mantras and at the end of it direct Ananya to offer the rice in the Homam. We do this five times, offering the rice to Agni.
Pandit ji informed us that through these mantras, Ananya is praying for long life of her husband and for a marriage filled with peace and harmony.

She makes three main promises to me:

· I adore God, the unifier of hearts. Now that I am leaving my parents' home for my husband's, I pray that He may keep us perpetually united!

· With these offerings I pray for long life for my husband and for the prosperity of all our relations!

· (Addressing me specifically) In making these offerings for your prosperity I once again pray that God may bless this union of our hearts!

After this, we are made to stand facing one another and Ananya says, clasping our hands,

Just as the star Arundhati is attached to the star Vasishtha, so may I be ever firmly attached to my husband!

And, I speak,

As the heavens are permanently stable, as the earth is permanently stable, as these mountains are permanently stable, and as the entire universe is permanent stable, so may my wife be permanently settled in our family!

(Addressing Ananya, I continue): Thou are the Pole star; I see in thee stability and firmness. Mayst thou ever be steadfast in thy affection for me. The great God has united thee with me. Mayst, thou live with me, blessed with children, for a hundred years!

"Anna Praashanam, ke liye Mithai." (Sweets for partaking of food.) Pandit ji calls. And Subhadra steps forward with a thali in her hand.

We offer the foods, chanting the Havan Mantra. And at last feed one another a morsel of food too, from the residue of offerings.
Pandit ji says that this was the symbolic expression of mutual love and affection.

I made sure that I lightly bite her fingers, when she feeds me. Her expression was worth it.

And after what felt like hours, Pandit ji declared us husband and wife hereby.
We rise from our position, and step ahead to take the blessings of elders. First in line is Pitamah, Tata shree and Kaki, followed by her parents and my parent- in- law. We walk to Mata and Pita shree and at last turn to Ma, who blesses us before pulling her in a hug.

"Wah Ma! Abhi se hi paksh- pat?" (Wow Mom! You taking sides, since now?) I huff and everyone laughs, she shakes her head pulling me in a hug.

Balram hugs both of us followed by Krishna, before the three hug each other and Subhadra whines that they always forget her.

Once, this is done we are taken to away to a room. My family except the three youngest of my brothers are going to leave tonight for Hastinapur to welcome me and Ananya there. The three siblings are also going to welcome their 'Bhabhi shree' and the two brothers are leaving with us tomorrow.

Ma and Mata along with some other ladies drag Ananya away, while I am left there with six monsters, sorry brothers. Ok, not six five will do.

Whatever the number is, Good Lord save me!

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At last, the wedding is done. 

Phew! This chapter was long.

Done huh?
What do you guys think? 

Thanks for Reading

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Aage dekhiye-
Ananya POV

(3045 words.)

--Sxxxxx