I hate to be the one to bring you bad news – but according to the Dharma Śāstras a Vedic Hindu priest should not perform any ceremonies for śūdras.
A term of great insult is to call a Vedic priest a śūdrayājaka!
tyajet pitaram śūdra-yājakam śūdrārtha-yājakam (Gautama 20:1)
One should abandon a father who sacrifices for a sudra or uses a sudra’s money for a sacrifice.
Gautama was particularly severe in this regard !!
Vyāsa was more progressive;–
śūdro varṇaścaturtho’pi varṇatvād dharmam arhati | veda mantra svadhā svāhā vaṣaṭkārādibhir vinā ||
The fourth order is the sudra, hence because they are caste-hindus and are entitled to practice all religious rites. But they are not permitted to recite any Vedic mantras nor utter svaha, svadha or vaṣaṭ. (Vyāsa Smṛti 1:6)
So in South India there are dozens of śūdra castes who never use or even invite Brahmin priests to officiate or grace their wedding ceremonies. Their ceremonies are conducted by elders within the community.
Now the really bad news is that the majority of today’s Hindus are śūdras, even those born in Brahmin families. The only ones entitled to be called “Brahmins” are those who have been initiated (upanīta), who study the Vedas and perform Sandhya-vandana and nitya-karma.
So strictly speaking Vedic Hindu priests should not be performing non-Brahmin marriages period! (And the real ones in fact don’t!)
Now us śūdra priests perform marriages for everyone regardless of caste, creed, race, gender as long as they can pay us 🙂 (even for brahmins!)
The marriage ceremony is the solemnising of a personal contract between two individuals who love each other and wish to live a Dharmic life – usually but not necessary in front of the sacred fire.
How is this performing justifiable?
For certain astrological remedies young girls are married to banana trees and boys are married to pots of water – and somehow this is considered as authentic and valid but it is unacceptable and invalid to marry two people of the same gender who are in love with each other. This is serious cognitive dissonance!!
Let us all rejoice in the happiness of others and bless them. May all beings be happy and free from judgement and condemnation for their love.
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