Brahmin rituals

[Ramachander]

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Dear Friends,
The complete translation of "Samkshepa Dharma Sasthram" is available in my blog
Rules and Rituals of Brahmins

It also has the sankalpam for Tharpanams during 2010-2011, With best wishes, Ramachander

 

[venkat2206]

I would like to have a general clarification from any learned members of the community.

Recently my father(late)'s cousin brother's wife has passed away. Normally people tell that for a period one year there should not be any festival celebrations at home and also one should not visit temples located on hills.

I regularly go to Tirupathi twice in a year and also started going to Sabarimala once in a year after observing vritham. Can I do these visits in the current year?

 

[DURGADASAN]

Only the Kartha is limited to go hill temples. if you are not the kartha you can proceed. Anyhow, keeping Vritham and going to Sabarimalai regarding you have to consult you Guru... As you said all other god-related things should be avoided.

Pranams...

 

[sankarcs]

I would like to have a general clarification from any learned members of the community.

Recently my father(late)'s cousin brother's wife has passed away. Normally people tell that for a period one year there should not be any festival celebrations at home and also one should not visit temples located on hills.

I regularly go to Tirupathi twice in a year and also started going to Sabarimala once in a year after observing vritham. Can I do these visits in the current year?

General Rule:
The functions that are celebrated inside the house like avani
avittam, Vishu Deepavali etc. should be celebrated in a simple manner inside the house. No decoration.

We should avoid going to temples during one year. If any temple ultsavam comes in our way, we can worship.

One of the reasons:
The celebrations or worshiping God by going to temples etc
may make the soul to feel neglected by us and hence
we may not receive good blessings from it.

Let us observer what our elders said. There are lot of meanings in it.
=sankarcs

 

[nachi naga]

the body is the temple,the atman is the lord.

the atman is sat chit ananda always.

when desires are not fulfilled,or while in deham if the person was neglected,only a guilty conscious person has to be afraid of dhur devathas.

if you are pure,plz go wherever you want whenever you want,your pithrus wil always protect you first,that soul genetics.tarpanam is a procedure.

 

[iyerponnu]

General Rule:
The functions that are celebrated inside the house like avani
avittam, Vishu Deepavali etc. should be celebrated in a simple manner inside the house. No decoration.

We should avoid going to temples during one year. If any temple ultsavam comes in our way, we can worship.

One of the reasons:
The celebrations or worshiping God by going to temples etc
may make the soul to feel neglected by us and hence
we may not receive good blessings from it.

Let us observer what our elders said. There are lot of meanings in it.
=sankarcs

Sir, You have said that we should not be going to temples for one year, then why is it that we go to the temple after subha sweekaram? Why do we decorate the house with kolams on that day?

I am not trying to be argumentative, but I want to know why certain things have been said? We should not be following traditions blindly. I for one feel that traditions always have a certain background and quite a scientific explanantion.

Namba periyava sonnadhula artham iruku, adhai anartham akkama irukanum.
Can someone say where we can find all the rules and regulations pertaining to what should be done and should not be done in the one year period?

Mythili

 

[sankarcs]

Respected Ms Mythili

Our ancestors have designed and given rules for exceptions also. One can fine prayachitha parikaram in every guidelines including santhyavandhanam. There is every chance that one may come across the procession of deities during the year and at that time he has to worship also. Similarly there may be occasions he may be forced to go to temple. Subha sweekaram is nothing but a starting point for celebration of functions after the kriya. That does not mean that we have to go to Sabarimala or Tiruppathi etc. during the one year period.

There is a book called "Dharma Sasthram". Sanskrit + Tamil It deals with all routines and rules.
One of my friends got a very old copy, the scanned the documents, printed ,re-published the book and donated to known people a few months ago. 400 pages book - at a cost of Paise 50
Now he plans to print more copies and provide it to needy people at cost price. {400 pages or more
zerox copy + binding and expected cost price may be Rs.200/=} He is preparing list .
If you need a copy of it, kindly inform me so that I can get you the book.

=sankarcs

 

[sankarcs]

Dear Shri Swaminathasharma

I will inform you the cost on finalisation of number of copies. I have added your name also in the list.

Again a restriction of 9 posts by the forum and hence could not send a PM

=sankarcs

 

[mani_77]

Need One Copy

Dear Mr.Sankarcs,

I need one copy of the book Dharmasastra. Kindly reply me to which address i should send MO once the book gets ready

Thanks
Mani KS

 

[venkat2206]

Dear Sankarcs,

I am Venkat2206, posted the question. Your reply is little bit confusing. Till now we are under the impression functions should not be celebrated inside the house (like deepavali etc.) during the one year period.

Also, reply given by Nachi naga is quite different but more meaningful. Any other advise / comments from any other members?

Regs

Venkat2206

 

[sankarcs]

Dear Shri Swaminathasharma

As I could not send a PM due to their restriction of Min 10 posts { I can achieve this just sending messages like thanks, good etc which I do not wish } and I do not want to
disclose my bank account details in public I am posting this message here.

If possible kindly send your phone number, email-id to my email-id [email protected] so that I can contact you over phone and arrange for
supply of the book. Now it is being printed.

=sankarcs

 

[vaithi21]

normally how many days of Theetu should be observed for brother's wife death

 

[perurpuram]

Dear Sankarcs Namaskar I need the copy of the Book. kindly send me the details as soon as ready.
with regards
Perurpuram

 

[meens64]

I need the book.
Meenakshisundaram

 

[sadasivam.sridharan]

I would like to know whether cow dung cakes ( varatti) are suitable for performing homam during suba karyam ? or is it meant only for apara karyam?

 

[tbs]

I would like to know whether cow dung cakes ( varatti) are suitable for performing homam during suba karyam ? or is it meant only for apara karyam?

hi ss sir.
i saw varatti used in my son's upanayanam homam in chennai....it is used by vadyar......i think varatti used in all homams.....i may be wrong...

regards
tbs

 

[RVR]

Varatti is always used in `Agni' for homam.

All the best

 

[sangom]

I would like to know whether cow dung cakes ( varatti) are suitable for performing homam during suba karyam ? or is it meant only for apara karyam?

Varatti (cow-dung cake) can be taken for all homams but since we do not know what exactly passes for varatti (sometimes any dung-like thing found on the road is used since the cowsheds etc., of olden days are very rare to find), these days some vadhyars avoid using it in subha karyams and instead manage with chips and slices of wood (we call "Sraay" here in TVPM).

 

[sankara_sharmah]

Not relevant. Sorry.

 

[sankara_sharmah]

I would like to know whether cow dung cakes ( varatti) are suitable for performing homam during suba karyam ? or is it meant only for apara karyam?

For Agni Karyam ( homam) only Varatti should be used and Cow's ghee. Use of firewood becomes necessary only to sustain the fire. Of course firewood is used in big homams. For smaller homams wooden shavings can be used. Sustaining the fire for a long period is an art which has to be mastered.

Please use only cow dung cakes ( varatti) and Cow's ghee.

A good source is Dabba Chetty Shop on Kutchery road, Mylapore. For other Pooja Samagri Sri Vidya Stores in Mylapore is a reliable source.

 

[sankay87]

Namaskkaram sir,

Please help me with getting a new land or house without any difficulties, is there any homam/jabam/puja/mantra or temple visit.

regards,
Sankara raghavan Jayaramakrishnan

 

[vramanathan]

Dear Ramachander Sir,
It is really wonderful and useful for our younger generation.
vramanathan

 

[nnarayan26]

Dear Sankarcs ,

Can you arrange for a copy of Dharma Shastram Book , please send me your bank account details , I shall arrange to remit the money to your account . Later you may send me a copy

Thanks & Regards

N.Narayan

 

[arunmandyam]

As a practice/notification one should go to temple and make alankaram for shubha sweekaram, This is because from that day the 13 days mailam will end. Also, the departed soul (Preta Atma) will be converted to Pinda Deha Sharir, which is of thumb nail of size. The pinda deha sharir needs to start his/her journey to Swarga or Naraka through Yama lokam. Yama will give entrance to narakam and Dharma will give entrance to Swargam. Now when the Pinda deha sharira has to start his journey he should given an intimation that we will give you the light and all other requirements while in the journey. Hence, these celebrations are observed. This is as per the Garuda Purana and Smrithi. The shodasa danam, nitya masikams, etc are the daily requirements of pitrus for the period of 1 year.
It is also explained in the purana that, pithru's one day is equal to 30 days of Bhulokam, i.e., when we give pinda in masikam, that will reach them on daily basis. for a period of 12 days (one year of bhulokam) they will reach yama lokam.
So, please be assured that these are not only told by our elders but it is told by Lord Vishnu to Garuda in Garuda Puranam in with conversation with Lord Shiva.
Hope this will suffice your need.

Arun

 

[sangom]

... Hence, these celebrations are observed. This is as per the Garuda Purana and Smrithi. The shodasa danam, nitya masikams, etc are the daily requirements of pitrus for the period of 1 year.

Shri Arun,

There can be no "nitya mAsikam"; nitya means daily, mAsika means monthly. But very orthodox and well to do (smarta) brahmins have performed (very rare cases in the past) "nitya sraaddham" for one year from the day next to the Subhasweekaaram. This is different from the nitya sraaddham included in the daily rituals of brahmanas. The idea behind this is that the departed entity experiences the same daily changes till the "sapindeekaranam" is formally done at the end of one year.

Thus it seems the duration of day and night for the pinda saareera is differently interpreted in different smritis/puranas.