Baba
Marriage: preparation
Namaskar,
The question sometimes arises: In which languages should the marriage oaths be given in our Ananda Marga revolutionary marriage (RM) system.
First of all
Before the marriage ceremony begins, there should be a short, introductory talk explaining to all about the meaning and significance of the upcoming ceremony. That talk should be given in a language all attendees understand.
For instance, suppose everyone attending the marriage ceremony is proficient in the English language. Then the introductory talk about the upcoming marriage ceremony can be made in English itself, because everyone attending is conversant in English.
However, again hypothetically speaking, let’s say that only 75% of the attendees know English, and the other 25% know Chinese. Then the introductory talk should be given in both languages, English and Chinese. And if 50% know English, 25% know Chinese, and 25% know Arabic, then the introductory marriage talk should be given in three languages.
The basic idea is that all those present should have a comprehensive understanding of the marriage ceremony. The overall meaning and significance of the ceremony should be explained to them in a language that they can easily understand. The talk can be delivered in any language in which they are proficient.
Oaths For Bride & Groom
During the ceremony itself, the oaths taken by the bride and groom must be done in their mother tongue. On this point there should not be any compromise.
So if the mother tongue / childhood language of the bride is Chinese, then the oaths should be taken in Chinese, irrespective of what other languages she may know. Because the marriage oath is a very important juncture in person’s life and those oaths should be taken in the language that most closely touches their inner-heart feeling—i.e. their mother tongue.
Likewise if the mother tongue / childhood language of the groom is Arabic, then the oath should be taken in Arabic.
On this point there should not be any compromise. For the bride and groom, the oaths should be taken in their mother tongue.
It does not matter if the audience / attendees / in-laws etc can understand these oaths or not. Already the content of the oaths was explained to them during the introductory talk. So at this time the bride and groom should take the oath in the language that is most comfortable and touching for them—i.e. their mother tongue.
Which language Marriage Oath
In our Ananda Marga marriage system, after the bride and groom perform their oaths, then all attendees also take an oath. And ideally the collective oath should be taken by the audience in their mother tongue. That may mean translating and reciting the collective oath 3 - 4 different times, in everyone’s mother tongue, because those attendees are taking an oath in the name of Parama Brahma and every person should fully understand and feel committed to the oath they are taking.
The Ananda Marga marriage ceremony collective oath is: “We say on oath in the name of Parama Brahma and Márga Gurudeva that we are witnesses to this wedding. By the grace of all-merciful Brahma, may we be helpful to the best of our capacity for the all-round progress of this newly-married couple.”
Thus at the aforementioned hypothetical marriage ceremony, the oath may need to be given in three languages: Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish. If still that does not include everyone, then that oath may need be to be given in English as well.
So in ideal circumstances, every attendee should take the oath in their mother tongue. Because everyone has a sentimental and emotional link with their mother tongue, naturally they can best relate with those spoken words. That will be most meaningful for them.
If, due to adverse situations, it is not possible to present the oath in the mother tongue of each and every attendee, then there can be a compromise on this issue if those attendees are fully conversant in other languages. So if someone present at the wedding is a native Swahili speaker but they know English well, then if it is not possible for them to take the oath in their mother tongue (Swahili) then they can take it in English.
But if attendees take the oath in a language they do not understand, then that is a complete hoax. Then they are taking an oath in the name of Parama Brahma yet they have no idea about the meaning of the oath. That is a mockery of the marriage ceremony. So this type of situation should be completely avoided. If the oath is not given in an attendee’s mother tongue, then it should be done in a language in which they have great facility and proficiency.
Just imagine that an Indian or Filipino margii or sympathizer went to Iceland and attended a marriage and had to take the oath in Icelandic. If they do not understand one syllable then the whole process becomes a farce. Thus the oath needs to be given to them in their mother tongue; and if that is not possible then another language can be used like English or Hindi etc if the person is conversant in that other language.
But again, the ideal is that every oath taken in Ananda Marga—including the marriage oath for those attending the wedding—should be done in a person’s mother tongue. This is Baba’s guideline.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "It has been prescribed to spell the mantras in one’s mother tongue, because to read out words of oath in some other language without understanding their meaning is nothing but a farce. It is not possible to realize the responsibility of uttering oaths without knowing their meaning." (1)
In Him,
Shiva
Due to the very nature of our revolutionary marriage system, the bride and groom may come from different linguistic backgrounds—and their families may as well. So then the question of how to perform the marriage ceremony—which language(s) should be used—can be quite a challenging one. This letter addresses this important matter.
Linguistic Resources Available in Future
The day will surely come in the future when marriage oaths are translated into innumerable languages and in each sector there will be books and audio files presenting the oaths in all those languages. With the help of technology, this hurdle can be easily crossed so every attendee can take the oath in a language most comfortable and meaningful for them, i.e. their mother tongue.
Reference
1. Táttvika Diipiká (Caturtha Parva)
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