It’s a very thoughtful and interesting question, you have asked. People know that Hindu marriage involves taking Saat Phere or seven rounds, but they don’t know its significance.
We know that a week has seven days and every day has its own characteristic and importance. Similarly, the relationship of husband and wife is said to be for seven births, and each birth represents a round. Each round comes with a promise given to each other by both husband and wife, and all the promises given have their own meanings.
Promises taken by bride:
1. The first round represents the promise that husband will perform any Yajna or Pooja only with his wife.
2. The second round if for the promise of donation made by husband will always be with the permission and company of wife.
3. Third round signifies, that husband will take care of wife at every stage of life.
4. Husband will always tell about his property and wealth to his wife, that the fourth promise of the fourth round.
5. Any land, or animal bought by husband would be in the knowledge of wife.
6. Sixth promise of the sixth round signifies that husband has to take care of his wife in all the seasons.
7. Seventh promise is that husband will never abuse or use harsh language with wife.
Promises taken by husband:
1. First promise is that wife will never go anywhere without her husband’s permission.
2. Second round is for the promise that wife will never go in front of the people who consume alcohol.
3. Third round bounds wife in the promise of not going to her parents’ home without husband’s permission.
4. Fourth round is for the promise that wife will heed to all the commands of husband, and will never deny him anything.
5. Fifth promise, representing the fifth round, is that when wife fulfills all the above promises, she would be able to be the part of husband’s life completely.
Husband takes only five promises from wife.
Translated from Hindi by team Letdiskuss