The Seven Vows of Hindu Marriage

Weddings in India are a magical event. In fact, if you really think about Indian weddings - it is the rituals in a wedding that makes it exhilarating and inspiring, filling the air with positive excitement. While the bride's mother is waiting at the gate looking her best in a gorgeous saree or bridal lehenga to welcome the groom with her blessings and a puja ki thaali, the bridesmaids and sisters of the bride wait on their toes while blocking the entrance to only allow the groom inside in exchange of money.

Among these endless fun rituals, there is one tradition that plays a pivotal role in Hindu weddings or Vedic weddings in general - the 7 pheras. The 7 steps taken by the couple around the sacred fire make up a significant portion of a Hindu wedding ceremony. Post the completion of the last phera around the holy fire, the couple is declared married.

The Saath Pheras are the most sacred ritual and a significant tradition in an Indian wedding that signals the completion of a Hindu wedding. The pheras comprise of seven circumambulations around Agni - the sacred fire that is a testament to every Indian wedding. Each revolution of the flame on the wedding mandap represents one of the 7 vows of Hindu marriage.

Did you ever wonder why the number 7? Well, it is a spiritually aligned numerical for sure but some even tend to go ahead and explain this with mathematics. The mathematical approach explains that every circle consists of 360 degrees and the only single-digit between 1-9 that cannot divide 360 is the number 7. The bride and groom circle the fire 7 times to ensure that nothing can divide their relationship.

Let us find out what the 7 pheres of Hindu marriage mean!

1. The First Vow or Phera

In the first vow of the Saat Phere, the groom and bride seek the divine blessings of God by asking him to bestow upon them enough for a healthy and prosperous living. They pray that they never fall short of food or money. The groom vows to always provide for his wife and family, and the bride promises to share the load and responsibilities with him equally. Together they vow to work towards this goal together and with respect for each other.

2. The Second Vow or Phera

In this circle, the couple prays to God to bless them with mental, physical and spiritual well being. The groom promises to stand by his wife in all situations, be it sickness or health. The bride promises to be his strength and also asks for his undivided love and attention in return.

3. The Third Vow or Phera

In this Phera, the couples ask the Almighty to bless them with everything that they need to live a comfortable and prosperous life. The couple seeks to be blessed with affluence in their married life. They aspire to make life better for each other as well as their descendants - both materialistically as well as spiritually. In this vow, the bride and groom also make a promise to remain loyal and faithful to each other.

4. The Fourth Vow or Phera

This is all about the family. Fortifying the bond with the family is of utmost importance. The fourth vow is also about giving unconditional love and respect to each other. While the groom's vow acknowledges the bride for making his family whole and the bride promises to love him forever.

5. The Fifth Vow or Phera

This is where the couple seeks the blessings of the almighty for noble, healthy and joyful children. This is also the vow where the couple promises to be friends and partners for life to be responsible parents to their offspring and nurture them.

6. The Sixth Vow or Phera

In this Phera, the couple promises the God that they will live an honest and noble life. They also pray for a healthy and disease-free life. They pray for the strength so that they can fulfil their responsibilities towards each other and their families.

7. The Seventh Vow or Phera

The last and seventh phera, which declares the couple companions for 7 lifetimes is one that is a promise. They promise to strive for wisdom and maturity to deal with their day to day life in mutual understanding, stability and faith. This vow pronounces them inseparable for life. These vows are a pious and beautiful way to start your life together with your other half. The "saat pheras" are the threshold of the "saat janam" that you and your partner are set to be together for.