Most Important Part of Any Hindu Wedding
The most important part of any Hindu wedding is the homage paid by the couple to the Fire God, Agni. The newly wedded couple go around the fire and as they go they feed the fire God with clarified butter and special homa twigs which is got from nine types of holy trees as sacrificial fuel. Sixteen mantras are recited at this time which salutes Soma, Gandharva, Agni, Indra, Vayu, the Aswini Devas, Savita, Brihaspati, Viswa Devas and Varuna for blessing the marriage and beseech them to confer long wedded life, health, wealth, children and freedom from all kinds of worries.
Agni is supposed to be the Mightiest Power-
As a result of the offerings to the sacrificial fire the fumes which arise from the Agni is said to have medicinal, curative and cleansing effects on the bodies of the couple. Also by doing so, Agni who is supposed to be the mightiest power is deemed as a witness to the sacred marriage and hence the ritual is also known as 'Agni Saakshi' . The 'Agni Saakshi' means nothing but in the witness of the all-round benefactor, the fire God, Agni.
