Hindu art symbolism and vivaha samskaras
Painting of Rukmini vivaha. Look at the Purohita, he is directing Krishna and Rukmini to look at Rishi Vashishta & Arundhati constellation* in the sky. Krishna and Rukmini are looking at their own reflections above, showing that they are Lakshmi and Vishnu. Agni, understanding that it is Lakshmi Narayana in front of Him, He encircles Krishna and Rukmini instead.
In Hindu marriage rituals, Rishi Vashishta and Arundhati symbolise an ideal married couple. The groom shows the bride the twin stars of Vashishta and Arundhati, in a ceremony called 'Arundhati darshanam'. In some parts of India, Vashishta-Arundhati is replaced by the Dhruva constellation, however Vashishta-Arundhati are invoked around the vivaha homa.
*In western astronomy today, these two stars are known as Mizar and Alcor, from the Arabic words horse and rider, as the Europeans adopted these terms from Arabic astronomy.
