THE SCIENCE OF TAKING PHERAS DURING MARRIAGE

The marrying couple from families that follow Vedic culture take rounds (usually four or seven) of Havan kund (fire pit) along with recital of Mantras which are called Pheras (Pheras literally means taking rounds). Apart from reciting Mantras in Sanskrit, the attending Pundit also recites certain promises to be made by the couple while asking the couple to repeat them ending with the word “Swaha”. Here is the logic to it.

Agni i.e. fire of the Havan kund (fire pit), increases heat (Pitta in Ayurvedic language) in the atmosphere around, which in turn increases heat/Pitta of the marrying couple too. This further gets compounded by the loud recital by Pundit and loud repetitions followed by the couple. Since Pitta pushes a concept deeply in the hard disc of the body and brain, this process helps to deeply embed the promises made by the couple during this ceremony (that is how seniors in the armed forces instill homogeneity and thus discipline among its men by making a loud and clear command while also asking the men to repeat it). Ghee and herbs used in havan also generate aromatic fumes in the air. Thus, when you recite the word Swaha, you swallow these fumes inwards while reciting SWA and then you expand throat chakra (thyroid) while speaking HA which in turn expands or increases your metabolism or Pitta thereby not only pushing the words spoken deeply but also the aroma along with it. Here, Ghee provides fat to the body and mind thereby strengthening the insulation around our nervous system (which is made up of fat and proteins). This is turn strengthens the inter-neural circuits created at the time of recital of these promises. Thus, this process deeply engraves congenial/cordial/pleasant memories of the promises made at this time. 

This also means that environment around Pheras should be quiet so that the couple can properly hear the mantras/promises recited by the pundit and each other. They are not supposed to be the place for making fun or for joking around. They should be clear and crisp. Secondly, while ideally we should all learn Sanskrit as it is the most scientific language (with 54 alphabets) whose words also work as mantras, however, if this is not possible then the Pundit should recite promises in the language that the couple can properly understand and repeat. Thirdly, agni should neither be too strong or too weak that it creates excess or weak Pitta and defeats the purpose of the process of Pheras (fumes of aroma should not be replaced by smoke which happens due to wrong/incomplete material used in havan and also the wrong process due to incomplete knowledge of certain Pundit). Even the place selected for this process should not be very airy or too suffocated.

This also means that one should use the right amount and type of substances which are in line with the weather. The process of taking rounds around agni ensures that the couple receives agni and fumes in all the directions (of the zodiac). Seven rounds represent seven houses of Astrology starting from the second house as different houses of Astrology represent different aspects of life (click here to understand what are different houses of Astrology and their aspects). That is why even the promises committed by bride and groom correspond to the number of round taken around Agni. Since the first house in Astrology represents self, the promises are spoken starting from aspects of second house where the groom promises wife to provide her fair ways of means of earning and in return wife promises the groom to provide nourishing food. Similarly, second phera is done with promises made around providing strength and courage (the aspect of third house of Astrology) and so on. Those who follow four rounds represent four aspects of life i.e. Dharma, Artha, Kaam and Moksha. Check out this link to read more on different pheras https://www.betterhalf.ai/wedding/origin-and-importance-of-saat-phere-in-hindu-marriage 

*** All in all, the substance that is offered to Agni has a huge effect on the collective conscience of people around. That is why different purposes need different substances and even different shapes of havan kunds because different shapes create different shapes of fumes too thereby having different effects on the conscience around (in ether as well in the physical bodies).