The Spiritual Journey of Marriage by Chahna Gupta Marriage is often celebrated as the union of two individuals, but in the Vedic tradition, it goes far beyond companionship and shared responsibilities. It is seen as a sacred journey—a partnership designed to foster self-discovery and fulfill one’s dharma (life purpose). Embracing this perspective elevates a relationship into one of growth, harmony, and deeper spiritual
connection.

In Vedic philosophy, marriage is not just a social contract but a union of two souls committed to supporting each other’s spiritual evolution. As co-pilgrims on life’s journey, couples help one another navigate challenges while striving toward higher goals. This partnership is grounded in three (technically four) key principles:

● Karma: Marriage often involves karmic ties from past lives, bringing lessons in forgiveness, compassion, and unconditional love.
● Artha and Kama: While marriage fulfills material and emotional needs, these pursuits are balanced with spiritual aspirations.
● Moksha: Partners can support each other’s path to liberation, aligning their actions with their highest selves.

Dharma, or life’s purpose, becomes a collective mission in marriage. Together, couples can:
● Support Growth: Encourage each other to overcome weaknesses and cultivate virtues.
● Serve the World: Combine strengths to contribute to family, community, and beyond.
● Raise Consciousness: Create a home rooted in mindfulness, spirituality, and love, uplifting everyone around them.

Vedic wedding rituals beautifully symbolize the spiritual foundation of marriage. The Saptapadi (Seven Steps), where couples take vows around a sacred fire, represents lifelong commitments to respect, prosperity, and spiritual alignment. Depending on the culture, many brides have a Mangalsutra, a necklace imbued with mantras, symbolizes unity and protection, serving as a reminder of their shared spiritual path.

Every journey has bumps, and marriage is no exception. According to Vedic teachings, challenges are opportunities for growth:
● Self-Reflection: Conflicts often reveal unresolved inner struggles, offering chances to heal.
● Communication as Sadhana: Mindful, open communication fosters understanding and deepens the bond.
● Resilience through Rituals: Practices like daily meditation, gratitude journaling, or prayers keep couples connected and grounded.

Even in today’s fast-paced world, Vedic principles can provide balance and purpose. Couples can:
● Begin their day with shared meditation to align energies.
● Practice mindful breathing, like Anulom Vilom, for calmness and harmony.
● End each day by expressing gratitude, strengthening their connection.
● Create a sacred space at home for prayer, reflection, or yoga, anchoring their shared spiritual journey.

Marriage, in the Vedic sense, is a profound collaboration that invites couples to grow together in love, self-awareness, and harmony. By fulfilling their dharma as a team, they transform their union into a sacred journey that not only enriches their lives but also uplifts the world around them.

About the Author
Chahna Tailor Gupta is passionate about Ayurveda, yoga, and holistic well-being, blending ancient wisdom with modern living. Through Namaste Life Events, she creates community-driven experiences that promote balance, longevity, and wellness. With a focus on mindful movement, plant-based nutrition, and sustainable practices, she helps individuals cultivate healthier lifestyles. Her mission is to empower communities with accessible wellness practices, fostering connection, purpose, and vitality for a more balanced life. Come say Namaste at LifeMarketFL.com.

As an editor of Desh-Videsh and a community organizer, I meet a lot of people at parties or at community events, especially those from my generation. After a few meetings, they open up and talk about their family and problems. Obviously I can not advise them either way because that is not my expertise. But I am a very good listener. By expressing their feelings to me, it may give them some solace.

Some of these people do expect that I share my personal experience with them. But fortunately for me, Aruna and I are blessed with a very caring family. Two daughter-in-laws, even though they are born and brought up in this country, understand our feelings as our own daughters.

But for those families not as fortunate as us, I want to share one popular dialogue from the Hindi Bollywood movie, Baghban, which means Gardener.

Those of you from my generation (65+ years young) must have seen the old Hindi movie Baghban, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. If you recall, it was a movie about conflict between the old generation and new generation. It was a movie about old thinking and new thinking where children do not understand their parents feelings and end up with disrespecting them.

Generation X and millennials may not have seen this movie. But I recommend that they watch ,and I highly recommend that they watch with their children.

At the end of the movie, Amitabh Bachchan gives a small speech about his newly published book titled Baghban. It is a small audience where his children were also present.

For the sake of new generation, I have attempted to translate it from Hindi to English. I know it is not justice to the Hindi language, or to the writer of that speech.

Below is my translation for this speech.

[dialogue excerpt from Baghban]

Ladies and gentlemen,

”Actually, l am not a writer. Writers are those that plunge deep into the oceans of knowledge and come up with rare gems of literature. I have written what life has taught me. Baghban book is not about me or any other individual. It is a book explaining the conflict arising between the days gone by and the days to come. It is a book explaining the conflict between the past and the future. It is a book about the broken relations between two generations, it is a book about the drooping (weary) shoulders on which some children had once sat to see the world. It is a book about the trembling hands that once held the hands of their children as they taught them to walk. It is a book about the parched lips, that once sang lullabies but they have now been silenced.

Times have changed, life has changed. If people of my generation will recall, we were always caught up in ties and in relations that yielded nothing. For us, our Father was God and at our Mother’s feet lay our heaven. And now people have become very sensible. The new generation is very clever and practical. For them, every relation is like a ladder, on which they will step to rise further in life. But when they have no use for the ladder they will be dumped with the rest of the broken furniture in the house like old vessels or old and torn clothes or old newspapers. However life is not like a ladder. Life grows like a tree. Parents are not the steps of a ladder. Parents are the soul of one’s life, like a big tree. Regardless of its size and fullness of big tree, it can’t stand on its own once its roots are hacked.

With all humility and respect, l ask today that if a father can spend every penny of his hard earned money with a smile for the happiness of his children, those very children, when the father’s eye-sight weakens, why do they hesitate in giving them light ? If a father can help his son to take the first step in his life, why can’t the son give his father support when he’s taking the last few steps of his life? What crime is it of the parents who have devoted all their lives to their children, that they are given tears and loneliness?” If they can’t give them any love who gives them the right to snatch their love from them? What do these children think? God have united their parents with love, how the children can separate and force them to lead a life of misery and despair?

Is it for a day like this that man seeks children? Children perhaps forget, what is our present today, tomorrow will be their present. If we are old today, they will also grow old someday. The questions we ask today, they will ask tomorrow. As for me… please don’t worry about me, if I am capable of bringing up my children, helping them become able and independent, I am capable of taking care of myself too. I do not expect anything from anyone because I am very fortunate, The reason I am very fortunate because life has given me a companion, walking with whom my hardships were always blown away, my hardships were always overcome. And that companion is my wife. People often fall in love. However they don’t express it as often as they should. I do not want to make the same mistake.  Pooja…I love you very much. Thank you for being with me. I exist because you do and there’s everything if we are together, else there’s nothing, absolutely nothing.

That’s all I wanted to say.”

The reporter asks, “Sir, how would you react had Baghban, been your personal experience?”

“Those children, who don’t love their parents…who don’t give them shelter…who don’t respect them… I would never forgive them l would rather punish them and l would disown them.

One of their sons asks, a mother always forgives her children, “Won’t you forgive us?”

”Yes, as a mother l may perhaps forgive you. But as a wife… I cannot forget the tears my husband has shed. And all of you are the ones who made them shed tears. I can’t say what the future holds, but l have nothing to give you today Not even forgiveness.”

Amitabh Bachchan

Salman Khan

Hema Malini

Mahima Chaudhry

Aman Verma

Samir Soni

Saahil Chadha

Nasirr Khan

Suman Ranganath

Divya Dutta

Arzoo Govitrikar

Rimi Sen

Yash Pathak

Paresh Rawal

Lillete Dubey

Sharat Saxena

Sanjeeda Sheikh

Asrani

Avtar Gill

Mohan Joshi

Anang Desai

Nakul Vaid

Gajendra Chouhan

Smit Sheth

Ravi Chopra

B.R. Chopra

Shafiq Ansari

Satish Bhatnagar

Ram Govind

Achala Nagar

Baghban

rina shah

sight weakens

community organizer

rare gems

baghban book

baghban movie

generation x

new generation

old newspapers

hindi bollywood

english

community events

aruna shah

torn clothes

hindi movie

small audience

gardener

parched lips

desh videsh

hindi language

what crime

relationship

by Jasbina Ahluwalia, Intersections Match

Reliable and Dependable Has your new partner kept their word during the time you’ve known them? Have they been dependable? Do they show the signs of being trustworthy, or have there been red flags that say otherwise? Trust and reliability are foundational to a long-term commitment. You Have Around Equal “Mate Value” Evolutionary psychology says the following three areas are key considerations when looking for a mate: personal warmth, physical attractiveness and financial status. One person may be a 7 in personal warmth, an 8 in attractiveness and a 3 in financial status, while the other is a 6, 4 and 9. While there can be big differences in certain categories, if you both average around the same overall, your relationship has a better chance than if your “mate values” are vastly different.

Genuine Warmth Towards People In addition to how your partner treats you, take notice of how they treat others. What is their relationship with their parents, siblings and other family members? How do they treat their friends? How do they treat wait staff and other service people when you are out with them? Even if they initially treat you well, if they are rude, unkind or dismissive toward others, this may be a red flag that could indicate how they might treat you down the road. About the Author Jasbina Ahluwalia, Matchmaker & Dating Coach has pioneered an approach to matchmaking, which blends the best of The East and West. She is an Indian-American Attorney-turned-Entrepreneur, Relationship Expert, Radio Show Host and Matchmaker/Dating Coach. She is the Founder & President of Intersections Match by Jasbina, the only Premier Matchmaking & Dating Coaching Firm for Indian Singles in the U.S., Canada & the U.K. Jasbina previously practiced law in San Francisco and Chicago. She earned her B.A/M.A. in Philosophy from Vanderbilt University, and JD from the University of Michigan Law School. To learn about Intersections Match by Jasbina, visit www.IntersectionsMatch.com or contact Jasbina by email at info@intersectionsmatch.com

You Like Each Others’ Most “Extreme” Characteristics Is your new love extremely shy, overly gregarious, staunchly political, an all-raw vegan juice diet purist, or extreme in some other way? Are you? These types of pronounced traits could be deal-breakers in some relationships; however, if you find each others’ most extreme qualities genuinely charming, this could be a sign that you were meant for each other. The Potential for True Love What do you see and feel in the eyes of your partner when they look at you? Genuine love has an undeniable quality. If you feel that from your partner – and you feel this for them – then the potential for a truly great romance is there. Not all relationships are meant to go the distance. However, if your new love interest shows many of the signs listed here, it’s quite possible that you’ve met your match.

by Jasbina Ahluwalia, Intersections Match

Too Aggressive While being confident is one thing, being pushy is quite another. Don’t go all “alpha” on her right out of the gate. Begin your interactions in a polite and respectful manner. Be a gentleman. Humor is always good (tasteful and non-political, preferably). Read her reactions and gauge how you should proceed. Trust your instincts, but keep the caveman in the cave. Be direct, but don’t overdo it. Not Aggressive Enough OK, I’m not trying to mess with you by contradicting the first item on this list. Rather, it’s helpful to realize that there’s an ideal middle ground when approaching women, and being too tentative can be just as fatal to your chances as overdoing it. Do you really want to get to know her? Then show it! Skip the aloof, cool-guy act – but don’t be too self-deprecating, either.

Not Being Yourself It’s been said that “success leaves clues”, and there is value in observing guys who seem comfortable with women. That said, avoid falling into the trap of “playing a role” when meeting someone new, whether it’s your initial approach or your first few dates. What’s the point of that? You’ll have to show her your true self eventually – you can’t hide “you” forever! And if you feel you have to, that’s a deeper issue. Best to be your true self right out of the gate. Women respond to a genuine approach, and you can’t fake that. Needless to say, if you want a future with her, being insincere or dishonest at any level is a no-no.

Trying Too Hard Yes, there is such a thing. If you aren’t getting a response after making a solid effort and putting your best foot forward, it’s time to politely move on. Bending over backward for too long becomes overbearing, needy and unappealing. If you’re getting a cold vibe, give her some space and go back to hanging out with your buddies. Keep an air of mystery about yourself. Many women find that intriguing, and she just might seek you out later. Not Being In the Moment If you’re too much “up in your head,” plotting, scheming and gauging how you might get her to like you, you’re missing the moment. The present moment is all we ever have, and it’s your best chance to connect with her on an authentic level. If your thoughts are swirling, focus on breathing deeply and really listening to what she has to say. Meeting that special someone is possible for you. Use these five tips to avoid getting shot down, and you’ll be well on your way to finding her.

About the Author Jasbina Ahluwalia, Matchmaker & Dating Coach has pioneered an approach to matchmaking, which blends the best of The East and West. She is an Indian-American Attorney-turned-Entrepreneur, Relationship Expert, Radio Show Host and Matchmaker/Dating Coach. She is the Founder & President of Intersections Match by Jasbina, the only Premier Matchmaking & Dating Coaching Firm for Indian Singles in the U.S., Canada & the U.K. Jasbina previously practiced law in San Francisco and Chicago. She earned her B.A/M.A. in Philosophy from Vanderbilt University, and JD from the University of Michigan Law School. To learn about Intersections Match by Jasbina, visit www.IntersectionsMatch.com or contact Jasbina by email at info@intersectionsmatch.com

by Jasbina Ahluwalia, Intersections Match

Measure your time commitment Where can you free up time to schedule a date night? Like any goal, you’ll need to start with a plan. Evaluate your current lifestyle and habits. Take into consideration any travel, late hours and even personal health habits when carving out your time. Be honest with yourself. This way, you can build intimacy with another without sacrificing what matters most to you.

Write down your non-negotiables Are there a few traits in your potential partner that you cannot live without? Narrow in on characteristics you enjoy the most in a companion and number them by importance. Writing out these features will give you more flexibility to say no to someone who doesn’t quite meet your standards. It’s equally important to know what you won’t put up with so that you can avoid settling into a relationship ‘just because.’

Recognize the role you play While filling in the lines of your ideal companion, take note of the kind of partner you will be. Remove the external pressures of society as well as the opinions of those around you and focus on your own values. Be aware of your level of willingness to accept the intimacy relationships bring along. Sharing your life with someone else is a big commitment and the more conscious you are of your intentions, the smoother this transition can be. Get comfortable saying Yes With the plethora of apps and online dating sites, sometimes one of the most impactful things for singles to do is just say ‘yes’ to an invitation in real life. You will likely need to break out of your daily norm to experience new people, and the best way to do that is having the willingness to put yourself in unfamiliar situations. Love shouldn’t be a sacrifice of fulfillment. Relationships are meant to enhance your lifestyle, not hinder it. Enjoy the richness that comes with opening your heart to love. You can successfully do this without losing yourself in the process.

About the Author Jasbina Ahluwalia, Matchmaker & Dating Coach has pioneered an approach to matchmaking, which blends the best of The East and West. She is an Indian-American Attorney-turned-Entrepreneur, Relationship Expert, Radio Show Host and Matchmaker/Dating Coach. She is the Founder & President of Intersections Match by Jasbina, the only Premier Matchmaking & Dating Coaching Firm for Indian Singles in the U.S., Canada & the U.K. Jasbina previously practiced law in San Francisco and Chicago. She earned her B.A/M.A. in Philosophy from Vanderbilt University, and JD from the University of Michigan Law School. To learn about Intersections Match by Jasbina, visit www.IntersectionsMatch.com or contact Jasbina by email at info@intersectionsmatch.com.