Marriage – A Spiritual Union

Marriage….

A communion between two people to create life and deepen love…

A social institution…

A beautiful and spiritual union…

Why was Meera so completely consumed by her love for Lord Krishna even though she was married to someone else?

What would you call a divine relationship that Lord Krishna shared with Radha ?

“There is definitely some divine connection, or else why is it that amongst so many people in the whole world you feel a strong connect with just that one special person. A man-woman union can transcend lifetime…” asks Kaamini Khanna, founder of the new age concept, ‘Beauty with Astrology’, pointedly.

The “Janam Janam Ka Saath” is explained with a story from the puranas by Vijay Manuskhani, a Hindu Pandit and astrologer. King Daksha Prajaapati had a daughter, Sati who married Lord Shiva against her father’s wishes.

One day King Daksha held a yagna and invited all of the gods and goddesses except his son in law Lord Shiva. Sati insisted on attending the yagna against Lord Shiva's wishes. But at the yagna Sati was insulted by her father. Unable to bear this insult, Sati immolated herself.

Enraged Shiva destroyed Daksha's puja, cut off Daksha's head and when pleaded by other gods, replaced it with that of a goat and restored life to him. However, he picked up the remains of Sati's body, and performed the Dance of Destruction throughout the Universe. The other gods wanted to stop this dance, hence Vishnu cut through Sati’s corpse with his chakra. Various spots where her body parts fell formed the sites of what are known as Shakti Peethas, today.

However, she took re-birth and again won Shiva as her groom and peace was restored. And so what the story reveals to us is that, when a couple is attracted to each other, it is meant to be.

Call it what you may; karmic connection, divine link or relationship of lifetimes, there is no mystery here that there is some cosmic force that keeps bringing such couples together.

Many times, parents disapprove the choice of life partners of their children. In the realm of faith, it is best left to the couple to decide the course of action. When parents break up a couple, they are actually causing an unholy deterrence in the spiritual journey of the two souls.

“Every marriage is a spiritual voyage, creating a celestial union….” Says Kaamini Khanna. In each couple in marriage, resides divinity, both within and between them. Even consummation of marriage is blessed by divine powers. Therefore, a child born out of such a union is also divine.

According to the puranas, Syambhu Manu and Shatrupa, equivalent to Adam and Eve, were the first couple created by Lord Brahma , one of the divine trinity. He commanded them to procreate and expand the world through sexual intercourse, after the initial method of expanding humanity through asceticism or using divine mental powers, failed. Since then, a man, woman relationship is believed to be divine. So that a jungle law does not prevail in the society, such relationships were given a legal sanction, in the form of the concept of the institution called marriage.

Since we are supposedly born out of celestial parents, our spirits respond with joy when we live like celestial people. A marriage built on celestial principles has immense divine powers.

As Joseph Campbell famously said “When people get married thinking that it's a long-time love affair, they'll be divorced very soon, because all love affairs end in disappointment. But marriage is the recognition of a spiritual identity.”

Each religion whether its Christianity, Hinduism or Islam, offers suggestions and guidelines for how spirituality and faith can play an important role in such a union. Our religious beliefs can help support our spiritual commitment to each other.

Islam is a strong advocate of marriage. In fact, unlike Christianity, Islam has no religious strictures that one has to be a celibate for the job, like a priest or a nun. The prophet has also said, "Marriage is my tradition; whosoever keeps away from it is not from amongst us".

According to Christianity, marriage is sacred as it is a sign of Christ’s love for his people. When people marry, they merge their daily life with spirituality which then begins to define the couple. Catholic marriages have a distinctive spirituality that is sacramental and missionary. Spirituality in marriage demonstrates as to how couples revel in Christ, build community and reach out to others in love. It is a powerful way to describe how Catholic couples live out their vocation of married life.

Spirituality of marriage helps couples, shape their attitude towards marriage, in light of faith. They are more patient and understanding towards each other, which in turn helps them to develop strong bonds with each other. This fact becomes very important in the light of increasing divorces taking place today. Today’s couple easily chips away at each other’s dignity with cutting remarks and criticism, crumbling the very foundation upon which their celestial abode must be built. After all as Wayne W. Dyer says “Heaven on Earth is a choice you must make, not a place you must find”

When we begin to build a marriage on divinity and spirituality, we have no choice but to carry the whole load, all the way. That means, we cannot shrug away responsibilities and the in-built challenges that come with it. Spirituality wants a celestial marriage to be evolved enough to let go of worldly desires and attitudes. A worldly attitude is selfish, with the focus on “my” needs.

Marriage then becomes our problem-solving truck aiding us to heal the chasm, driving us at times to be willing to halt and strengthen that bridge for our marriage to get through.

When we do so, our love augments and together we begin to find happiness. We also draw closer to the Lord and come to know of our Savior’s deep concern for our family.

If spirituality is secondary or even lacking as it is in marriages these days, one is definitely heading for turbulent times.

Spirituality in Marriage

We have come to know more clearly what should one expect the most in a marriage—love, laughter, and spirituality.

Stay in love, feel desirable and attracted to one another…

Want to feel youthful and happy? Have more laughter, fun, comforting friendship and family memories.

Radiate hope and optimism. The core of every marriage is through communication where love grows and bonds strengthen.

And have spiritual nourishment, prayer and talk about eternal things together. A key to unlocking healthy fun in marriage is faith—faith in God, in each other, and in the future—faith enough to relax and enjoy the day as it unfolds. Faith to even see some humor in our trials and tribulations. Through love, laughter, and spirituality, the couple can work together, towards exaltation.

Preeti Kopikar

09820007032