Rules and Rituals of Brahmins

What is Dharbha    and how it should be used?

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

Request .No pavithram  purchased for Tharpanam should be used   for   any other  purpose like Avani avitta japam etc .Please read this and understand   how many  types  of Dharbha is there   and how many types of Pavithrams     are there.

(I saw this gem  of a verse  in Tamil with translation in Tamil by  my friend   Vasu iyengar . Most of us  Brahmins know about Dharbha and possibly know , that normal pavithram is made  of two Dharba grass and the Pavithram for  Pithru karyams    is made of three grasses .This  great work , tells us about what  is the different types of Dharbha    and  for different ritual purposes  how many Dharbha should be used   for making  pavithram.)

1.Viswamitha  Kuso seera   saalee  , maunji cha   Dharbhaka,

Dhoorvaa    sreshtaa  muni  prokthaa   saptha   dharbha  prakeerthithaa

Viswamithra  . Kusa  , Ucheera, Saalee , Maunji  , Dharbha,

Durvaa    are   the  seven types of Dhurbha   which sages   sing about

2.Agrasthoolaa   bhaven naari   moola sthoolam   napumsakam,

Moolagra   samam   vaapi   puma  nithyam    Abhi  dheeyathe

If the top end is thick it is classified   as feminine,

If the base end is think   it is classified as  Eunuch,

And if the base and top are of same thickness , it is male

3.Vivahe  Purusha dharbha  , sthree    dharbha   pumsavane  thadhaa,

Nampumsakam  thva anya   karmasu    yesha   dhurbha  nirnaya

During  marriage ceremonies  male Dhurbha   is used ,

During Pumsavana  before first child birth  female Dharbha is used,

And the  eunuch  Dharbha   is for   all other ceremonies,

And this is the    rule     for use   of Dharbha

4.Archanam japa homamcha dhaanam cha  Pithru tharpanam,

Apavithranu  panimcha  thath sarvamsa  vinasyathi

When doing  worship,  chanting , fire sacrifice, giving charity,

And  rituals  to satisfy our pithrus , if you  do  with,

Hand not wearing Dharnbha  , all  of them would become useless

5.Pavithram yeka dharbena, pretha  karmani dharayeth,

Nithya karmaani   dharbhaayaam dwapyameva   Chathurmukha,

Pithru karyam   tribhir   dharnhai , chathurbhi    deva poojane,

Pamchabhi   poushtige  dharbhai  shad bhi  santhayaam pavithrakam,

Bhojane   valayam kuryath sapathabhi  sarva   karmasu.

When doing rituals pertaining to corpses ,

A pavithram(that which purifies)   should be made with one Dharbha,

For all daily rituals  two dharbhas , For rituals  of Pithrus  three dharbhas are used,

For doing any ritual pertaining to God ,  five Dharbhas   are to be used when doing fire sacrifice,

And while performing   Santhi Karmas   six Dharbhas are to be used,

When  you are   eating food   seven Dharbhas    are used   as a ring

6.Dviyangulam  valayam  brahmanu  granthi   rekham kulaa  mathaa

Chaturangula maayaama pancha mushti smruthaa  kuchaa,

With dharbha of five   fist   length ,

We have to make   a Pavithram,

With two inches diameter   ring size,

And with four inches high arms

7.Vikeernaa   vigalaa  hruswaa  vakraa, sthoolaa  kruu saathvidhaa,

Krumi dashtascha deergaascha  varjayeth   samitho budha

That which is spli, broken , small , curved, thick , thin ,

Opened , worm eaten  and too long   are not used  by wise people

8.Yetho vitha  vanaasinaa   sthoola   Raja   Bhayankari,

Dwidhaa   chora  bhayankari  vistheernaa  suka  mahureth

Agni daham , bhaveth deegam  krusaa  kanthaa   sukham hanyathu

Very thick would bring   government  punishment  , spilt,

Would bring fear of thieves, split one   would take away comfort,

Thin one   would make you sick.

9.Aswatha  vada palaasa   plaksho   dumbara   sambhava,

SAmyapaamarkka gathiraa   kuchena samitho nava

The  sticks of  holy fig tree  , banyan tree , Palasa tree  , fig tree,

Vahni tree  Chaff tree  , Karungali tree   and dharba ,

These nine are  Samiths   which can be offered to the fire