In modern
times after the first annual sradha,
people are not performing Sradha at all. Since the only weapon of Pithrus is
curse, please be careful. The major
effect would be they will curse that
there should be b no one to perform Sradha for us i.e there would not be male progeny
to our sons. Sri Soma Skanda Gurukkal
has written a great book about Sradha . Throughout he has mentioned
about Varanam of Pithrus and Viswe Devas only.
He has not mentioned about Swamil ILai
to represent Maha Vishnu or
Varanam of another Brahmin as Vishnu. I have already given the rules of SRadha by Sri Vathsa Soma deva Sharma inhttp://brahminrituals.blogspot.in/2011/05/sradha-vidhi-rules-of-sradha.html
Rules of Sradha
By
Vaidheeka Kriya rathnam
Mayilani Brahma
sree U.Soma skandha Gurukkal
(I have modified and classified the information given by the above author so that its presentation is better )
Types of Sradhas
1.parvana Sradham is done to please the Viswe devas and
Pithrus for three generation. From
mothers and fathers side,
2. Yekodhishta is a sradha
aimed at the person who is just dead and has not become pithru and is
haing Pretha roopa.IN SApindi karana both re there.
3.Both in the first annual sradha and subsequent
sradhas first we seek permission to do
the Sradha in the Parvana way.
4.The eight Vasus , eleven Rudras , rwelve adithyas and twelve Viswa devas protect the Sradha.
5,In each Sradha we
choose two of the viswe devas and one Brahmin will represent them and another top represent our Pithrus
6.In the first annulal sradha and subsequent annual sradhas we choose Puroorardhava and Samjnaka
Viswe devas.
7.In Mahalaya
Sradha we choose Thuru and Ruchi
Samjnakas
8.In SApindikarana we
choose Kala-Kamuka SAmjnakas
9.In SAnya saanga
Sradha we choose Sathu –Guru samjakas
10.In Naandhi
sradhas Sathyavasu and in Yagas Krathu-Daksha samjnakas are chosen
11.People who are not monretarily well off can do it in
HIranya or Aama sradha way. Now in
practice people do it only as Hiranya
12. Another form is Sankalpa Sradha where Aavahana
, homa , arghya , vikira, panda dhana and Tharpana are not there
Mahalaya
Sradha(Pithru Paksha)
13.It is essential to do Sradha in Mahalaya Paksha.Atleast do Hiranya SRadha
14.During Mahalaya Paksja
at least daily do tharpanam
15.The most important days of Mahalaya Paksha or Maha
Bharani, Madhyashtami and Vyadheepadham ,The thryodasi of Mahalaya Paksha
is Gajachaya.If you do sradham on that day, you will get the effect of doing Gaya Sradha
16.In Mahalaya Pakshna
Even Karunya Pithrus (Father’s
brothers, elder vrother, younger brother. Paternal aunt, maternal uncle,
mother’s sisters, own sisters and their sons, wife , father in law, mother in law, sister’s
husband, daughter in law, brother in law, Guru
, Master under whom we have worked
and friends) also receive varanam, pindam and tharpanam.
17.In mother is alive during Mahalaya SRadha , sradha is not do the maternal side
18.In normal sradha we offer
six pindas(rice balls) but in mahalaya sradha 13 pindas are offered to Pithru Varga(fathers
clan), Mathru varga(mothers clan), Sapathneeka
Mathamaha varga(The clan of in laws of other wives) and Karunya pithrus.
Nandi sradha
19.Nandi sradha needs to be done during Garbha dhana , Seemantha, Jatha karma,
Nama Karma, Anna prasana, Choula, Prapthyadhi pnances, Samavarthana, Vivaha and graham pravesa to new home.
20.In Nandui Sradha the mathru Varga is first offered and
then the Pithru varga
21, In Nandi the varana is in the reverse order,
prapithamaha, pithamaha and Pitha
22. Nandi sradha is an auspicious function Instead of
Gingelly Yava is used. Parishechana is not done anticlockwise .The word
“Swadha” is not used
23.For Viswedevas we have to select two Brahmins and for each Pithru Two Brahmanas are
selected
24.If a kartha performs one Nandi Sradha , he can do another
only after 6 days
25.The person who does Nandhi sradha does not do Anna Sradha for three months during Amavasya, Sankramana , manvadhi and Yugadhi,
Some people do not do tharpanam for 6 months
26. The person who does Nandhi should not touch Gingely or Durbha.He can do it using
Akshathai and Arugam pul.
27.The person who does Nandhi can do Sapindeekaranam and Prathyabdheekam in his home
28.When wife is in periods, husband is not supposed to do
Nandhi
29.In Nadhi you face eat
and in Dhurbhas facing east , he has to keep two pindas .The pindas are
by fruits(Elandhai pazham/Jamoon) and
curd
Duties of Kartha(one who performs) and Boktha(one who consumes)
30.Kartha is the
person who does the Sradha
31.Bhoktha is the one who is selected by us for worship in
the Sradha
32.There are some common rules for Kartha and Boktha
33.Both of them should not eat any food after taking meals in the Sradha
34.Both of them should lead a religiously disciplined life
for Sradha Paksha (waxing or waning 15 day period in which SRadha falls) or at
least one week(or three days ) before the Sradha
Who can become a Boktha
36.The two Bokthas should not be brothers
37.A widower without
son is not elegible to become a Boktha
38.If a person’s wife is in periods, he is not eligible to
be a Boktha
39.Once a person becomes Boktha in a home , for next three days, he is not elegible to become a
Boktha
40.Those who do not know Veda, those who are ill and those who want you to make the Boktha
are not elegible.
41.It is not permissible to one person being BOktha in
another house and that person becoming Boktha in his house by mutual agreement.
42.Those who have a wife who is pregnant for more than three
months also are not elegible to be a
Boktha
43.He who has not o performed first year death ceremony after their death and he who has shaved himself that day are not
eligible as Bokth
44.Among the Bokthas , the younger one should be selected to
represent Pithrus(manes) and the elder one
the Viswe devas.
Duties of Kartha
45. He who performs Sradha(the kartha) should not brush his teeth using a brush or stick on the
day of SRadha.
46.The Kartha should change his scared thread before starting the ceremony.
47.To the Bokthas we should give Vasthra(cloth) of the quality we ourself wear.
48.The Kartha should not take meals in other’s homes ( Guru, Uncle, sister
brother are not others) for one month(Or
one Paksha or one week or three days
) before the Sradha.
49.He should not take
oil bath in the week previous to
the Sradha
50.If you cannot afford to give cloths to the Bokthas, give
them at least new sacred threads.
51.The Dakshina(fees) is according to the Kartha’s monetary
ability
When to perform Sradha?
52.Sradha should be performed in the Thithi, month and
Paksha in which the death has occurred.
53.If in the Paksha, the thithi occurs twice , perform the
SRadha on the day when the thithi is at 1.30 PM(aparahna) on that day.
54.If both thithis are suitable perform it in the later thithi
55.In the Panchanga in the right most section the Sradha thithi would be
mentioned
56.If we are not able
to observe SRadha on the correct thithi,
that day we should perform
Upavasa(starvation) and perform the
Sradha on the next day.
57.If we forget the Thithi
, SRadha can be performed on the Ashtami thithi of Krishna Pakasha,
Ekadasi or Amavasya(Maha Periyava is of the i opinion that the Sradha should be performed only in India)
58,If we get death or birth
taint during SRadha, SRadha should be performed at the end of taint period.
59.Brothers who have divided the wealth of their parents
should do Sradha Seperately
60.But if mother is alive , it can be done together
61.If a sradha is done on behalf of a lady , there is no
homa,Only Pinda is offered
62.SRadha for Sanyasis are to be done during dwadasi
63. Sradha for those
who meet bad death is to be done during Chathurdasi
Rules of performance of Sradha
64.In Sradha special importance is given to
Gingelly(Til) and Daughter’s son(dauhithra)
.
65,Black Til should be used in plenty. Dharbha grass and Til is supposed to have come from Lord
Varaha
66 For cleaning of the area
for .Pada Prakshalanam ,( means washing of feet of Boktha.) with cow
dung for Viswedevas square pattern should be drawn and for Pithrus round shape should be made on the
floor
67.You should not wash the feet of Boktha along with Pavithra. It should be removed and
kept on the right ear.
68. The water used
for washing feet of the two bokthas should not join together .
69.Wash the heels of the feet of the Bokthas and not the
inside feet.
70.The ghee that
remains after using for Homa
should not be used for anything
71.The sound of bell should not be heard during Sradha time
. The ladies should not put Thilaka. As these two will drive away Pithrus.
72. After 12 noon
the Kartha should perform madhyahneekam
and after giving Ellu Urundai for
clearing the mind of the Bokthas ,
THamboola for purifying their face and oil for cleaning their body and request to take bath and bathe himself
and start the Sradha.
73,All upacharas are first to be done only to Viswe devas
74,After sradhha the first to get up wold be Pithrus
75,In Sradha
for mother Matha, pithamahi , prapithamahi are invoked.Arghyam and
GRahanam is for them only but HOma is
for their male Pithrus
76.If there is a need to do Sradha to the sister, younger
brother, son, uncle and Guru, Only they
should be invoked and sradha is done in
a Sankalpa way
77.The sradha of mother
and father has to be done in
Parvana way and never as Sankalpa Sradha
78.In Sradha of the brothers of father, they , grand father
and great grand father are invoked..
79.In the sradha of elder brother, Elder brother,
father and grand father are invoked
80.In case of Sradha of maternal grand father along with maternal grand father , his father
and grandgrand father are invoked
81.IN dangerous situations , or when wife is in periods or
away, SRadha with Homa need not be done
but it can be done as Aama Sradha or Hiranya Sradha
82.Every month during Amavasya sradha for fathers and
mothers clan can be done but in practice only tharpanam is done
Rules for cooking in
Sradha
83.Some one who is not a relative or a servant should not cook for Sradha
84.A lady in periods or who has taken bath on the third day
should not cook
85.The person who
cooks should not wear wet cloths
86.Do not cook crying or laughing or pulling your hair
87.Cooking should be done in new or well cleaned vessel which is not made of steel. Silver vessels
are the best.(Please remember that Stainless steel is steel)
88.The Rice should be cooked at the end.When it is served
steam should come out of it.
89. Both ends should not be cut of the Banana leave used to
serve food during Sradha. The top end should be on the left.
90. Vegetables and other material for cooking in Sradha
a.Suitable for
cooking
Black gram, Black Til , wheat, green cow pea, Bitter gourd, Jack fruit,
Mango, Pomegranate, Curry leaf, Lime, Banana fruit, Mango fruit Grapes,
Plantains, Snake Gourd , Kandakathiri, (Brinjal with thorns) , Sundakkai, pepper, ghee , brown coloured
sugar, , jiggery, sea salt,Gooseberry, ILanthai Pazham(Jamun) , honey, cow’s
milk , curd made from cow’s milk , Karanai kizhangu(?) Colocasia tubers, Jeera, cardamom, Lablab beans, THoothuvalai(?)
, Banana pseudostem, coconut, mustard,
sweet potato , Groundnut, wood apple, hillies, rice, gingely oil ,
turmeric , tender coconut, Chiru
KIzhangu(?) , ginger, Amaranthus leaves, Amarathus stem., Betel leaf , cardamom , dried ginger, Clove,
Jathikkai(?),Jathipathei(?)
b.Not suitable for cooking
Dried cow pea seeds, horsegram , asafoetida, Drum stick, Tur
dhal,Bottle gourd, Banana flower,
Radish, onion , garlic, Buffalo
mlk, goat milk, Curd made of Buffalo
milk, ghee made of Buffalo milk
c.Very important and greatly preferred
Honey, jack, black gram, Kandankkathiri, Chundaikkai,
Jasmine leaf, Pirandai , Mugattayilai , Karayilai, Thulasi
Some conventions in
performing Sradha
91.The pithrus would be greatly pleased because we add Vasu, Rudra , Adithya devas
92.The father is
considered as Vasu, grand father as
Rudra, and great grand father as Adithya and jopining them all together we
normally say Vasu rudra Adithya Swaroopa Asmad pitha, Pithamaha , Prapithamaha
93.When we choose a
Brahmin as DEva , then poonal is worn in the normal fashion
94. When we choose a Brahmin as representing Pithrus, the poonal should be
Prachereena Vidhi(Ie it should be worn on right shoulder
95.When we offer Dharbha to devas it should be given straight
96.When Dharbha s offered
to Pithrus , it should be folded in to two and offered to them (Tips
connected)
97.When we do Pada
Prakshalanam (Washing of feet) of Brahmins , since devas and Pithrus comew from
their LOkas , The place where the
Brahmanas sit is worshpped by
Dharbha , Sandal paste,
Akshatha(rice) and Gingley
98.When we are
doing Aavahanam(Making them come) , we should put Akshatha( rice starting from their right leg and going clockwise
99.When we are doing Avahanam of Pithrus , the til should be
put starting from their head till their feet,
100.Arkhya grahanam. For Viswe devas and Maha Vishnu water
in a pot should be kept in the southern side
of the fire.
101.For Pithrus water should be kept in another vessel
102.The vessel of Arkhya water should not be kept open and
they should never be moved from their place
103.Suppose lot of
Arkhya water spills out , the
entire water should be emptied , then we have to keep it again by chanting
manthras. If a small quantity spills out, it can be ignored
104.Sradha Brahmanas(Bokthas) should not touch each other
105.Suppose (a small portion of food taken-Yechil) of one
Brahmin falls on another Brahmin’s leaf
, both leaves should be removed, the place cleaned by cowdung and frsh leaf
should be put and the food served again,
106.Till the Bokthas complete their food the fire should
keep on burning
107.If By chance the fire is extinguished, that day you
should not take food and SRadha carried
out again
108.To remove the Rakshasas who may be present , the
Brahmins should be requested to do Abhisravanam and chant Vedas.After the
Sradha separate Dakshina(fee) should be given for that.
109.During Ekodishtam , SApindikaranm , Masigam , Anumasikam
, Nandi SRadham and Gayasradha
Abhisravana should not be done
110.The Bokthas should not talk while eating food, They
should point out what they want by their finger. Since they should not eat
afterwards during the day, they should be made to eat slowly and in plenty.
111.The Leaves in which Bokthas have taken food, should be
buried in the soil
112. In cities where this is not possible , people offer the
leaves to the cow., SinceYechil should not be given to cow this is wrong.Please
do according to tradition
113.Before the final SWasthi Vachana at the end of taking of
food , the leaves should be removed
114.After Pinda
pradhanam(offering of rice balls) only
the area should be cleaned
115.It is a practice to keep Vikhranna (sme rice) before the
leaves of the Brahmins. This gives
happiness to those in Naraka(hell)
116.Performance of Sradha gives happiness not only
pithrus but the homa gives happiness to devas, The eating
of food by Brahmins to those who are in
heaven , Pinda dhana to those in Yama LOka and Anna Dhana to human beings and
Uchishta(left over) to ghosts and devils
117.WE say , “Let those born
in clan who were burnt in fire and those that were not be satisfied by
this Vayasa Pinda kept on earth and reach
salvation .Let those who were burnt in fire according to rituals and those who were not burnt as per
rituals but who were born in my
clan become happy by this Pinda.”
118.Kaka pindam is for Pithrus not known to us and should be
protected till the crow takes it.
119.After the pinda pradhana, put little of the cooked rice
in the mouth saying manthras. Since it is part of Sradha, there is no sin in
that but Some people only smell it but not eat it.
120.Even if is
Ekadasi , the food offered to the
Pithrus can be eaten. There is sin in it..Jnathis ,(People belonging to our
clan) can smell that food and it will give them same effect as eating it.
121.Even after marriage girls can take the food offered to Pithrus in case of their father, mother and elder
brother.But Widows should not eat it.
122.Fruits, vegetables , milk, curd and honey
do not have Pithru Sesha. I e the defect food which remains after being offered to Pithrus
123.Clan people should not eat in Ekodishta
124.The relations who have only three day taint cannot eat
the Pithru sesha
125.Paraheni tharpana should be performed next day morning only ,If it is not possible
, it can be done after the Sradha
126.If Father is alive and sradha is done to mother , there is no tharpanam
127.Paraheni tharpanam should be done using Dharbha and
gingely used during Sradha, next day early morning before bath.But if it
becomes morning, then it can be done after bath and Sandshyavandana
128. During Amavasya only Tharpanam is done
129.Even those whose father is alive should do Pithru
Tharpanam during Brahma Yajnam.
130.The gingelly should not be picked by thumb and third
finger
131,If you do tharpanam on Sunday , Tuesday and Friday, rice should be mixed
with Gingely.
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