48. I pray for all that prosperity to attend on thee, as it does with Sachí.—The queen of heaven, in the company of her lord Indra; and as it subsisted between the mutual pairs of Hara and Gowrí; and Hari and his consort Lakshmí—the goddess of fortune.
49. Thou appearest as a limpid lake of lotuses, with thy breasts blooming like lotus buds; and thy black blue eyes resembling the cerulean lotuses (nilumbiums); and the sweet fragrance of thy lotus like person, inviting the buzzing bees fluttering all about thee.
50. Thou appearest likewise as a tender shoot of the Kalpa plant of Cupid, with thy rubicund palms resembling its reddish leaves; and thy swollen breasts likening to its blooming buds, and every part of thy body, is as delicate as its delicious fruits.
51. With thy cold and cooling body, and thy moon like face and its smiles as moon beams, thou art as beautiful as the full-moon, and equally delightful to sight.
52. Rise therefore my beauteous lady and ascend on the matrimonial altar, and there perform the marriage ceremony, standing on the slab of stone, marked with creeping plants and their fruits. (The gloss says, that this stone or stool, is also painted with the colours of the nine sorts of precious gems nava-ratna, that are sacred to the nine planets).
53. Vasishtha said:—The altar was studded with strings of pearls, and bunches of flowers suspended on all sides; and it had four large cocoanut fruits, hang over the four sides of its square.
54. There were pots filled with the holy water of Gangá set about it, and the sacred matrimonial fire was lighted amidst it, and fed with the fuel of the sandal wood and other fragrances.
55. They turned round the flaming fire by the right hand side, and then sat on seats of leaves with their faces turned towards the east.
56. After sitting on the altar, the matrimonial couple kindled the nuptial fire, and made offerings of sesame seeds, and fried rice upon its flames.
57. The married pair turned again about the sacred fire, and offered to each other their own selves and loves as their marriage dowries.