Dear Sri Royalrajesh1978
(1) Samkalppams at Rameshvaram, Dhanushkoti, Kaashi, Prayaaga, Gaya
You might have noticed that some savants have copied and reproduced huge and formidable chunks of material from other sources which could amaze and intimidate intending pilgrims by giving the impression that the Kaashi yaathra, far from being a labour of devotion and spiritual satisfaction, is mired in laborious, long-winded, complicated, confusing, costly rituals everywhere you go.
The truth is, there is no need to be overwhelmed. The savants can be ignored.
If you have taken part in annual upaakarmams (aavani-avittam celebrations), you will know that an essential part is chanting the Mahaa-Samkalppam immediately before manthra-snaanam. Most of the officiating priests do not know the manthrams by heart, and bring along a book from which they quote.
So, please take along with you to Rameshvaram, Dhanushkoti, Kaashi, Prayaaga, Gaya the upakarma-prayogam book of your veda shaaka, and chant the mahaa-samkalppa manthram from it.
Substitute the end part which says:-
shraavanyaam paurnamaasyaam addhyaay-opa karma karishye. Tad-angam shraavanee paurnamaasee punya-kaale mahaa nadyaam shiva-gangaa-snaanam aham karishye
with the following:-
at Rameshvaram -
upaya-saagara madhye gantha-maadhana parvathe bhaaskara kshethre maho dadhi dheere shree rameshvara kshethre shree sethu-maadhava svaami sannithe vaaraanasi yathra praaramba punya kaale agni-theertha mahaa praaschiththa snaanam aham karishye
at Dhanushkoti
Continue as for Rameshvaram samkalppam till "vaaraanasi yathra praaramba punya kaale", then chant:-
sethu-punyasthala snaanam aham karishye
at Prayaaga (now called Allahabad by Muslims)
Continue as for Rameshvaram samkalppam till "vaaraanasi yathra praaramba punya kaale", then chant:-
vindhya-parvathasya uththare aaryaa-vartha anthargatha brahma-vivarththaka deshe bhageerathayaaha paschame dheere vaaraanasi yathra punya kaala madhye ganga-yamuna-sarasvathi thriveni mahanadi-sanga punyasthale mahaa praaschiththa snaanam aham karishye
at Kaashi
recite exactly as in the upakarma-prayogam book.
at Gaya
Continue as for Rameshvaram samkalppam till "vaaraanasi yathra praaramba punya kaale", then chant:-
vindhya-parvathasya uththare aaryaa-vartha anthargatha brahma-vivarththaka deshe gathaadhara kshethre jambakaaranye phalguni-ganga sanga punyasthale mahaa praaschiththa snaanam aham karishye
(2) Shraaddham at Rameshvaram, Kaashi, Prayaaga, Gaya
Strictly speaking, there is no need for elaborate shraaddhams to ancestors (and others) with homam, dhanam and bhojanam at these places.
According to the highest authority on the subject on this Earth, i.e. late revered Brahmashri Vaidyanaatha Deekshithar's Smruthi Mukthaa-Phalam, an aama-shraaddham will suffice in many instances.
This involves inviting two Braahmanas, one representing the pithrus and the other the puroorava-aardrava-samknjakebhya vishva-devaas.
After washing gftheir feet4 when gthey arrive and decoratibng their feet with akshathai, chadanam and flowerf petals, seat them comfortably. Then obtain fromn them anuknya to perform the shraaddham. Holding the pancha-pathram in both hands, you circle them thrice reciting the devathaabhya pithubyischa manthram and prostrate before them.
Then you invoke on them formally the pithrus/devathaas, offer them aasanam, paadyam, ameevo gantham, punar gantham, maalya or thulasi dalam in lieu, uncooked rice, a vegetable such as unripe bananas, betel-nut and betel-leaf, and dakshinai. You prostrate yourself before them again, and let fthem take their .leave. Then you perform the aavahanam of, and thilaa-tharppanam to, you ancestors and do upasthaanam at the end. Ending with brahmmaarppanam. That completes the aama-shraadham.
This is what I did during my own Kaashi yaathra.
On returning home and before re-visiting Rameshvarm with ganga-theetham, I invited four brahmachaaris and four gruhasthas for a full samaaraathana bhojanam home-cooked as per shaasthram and served by self and family under our roof. While they were dining, instead of the full Abhishravanam, I chanted chathur-vedam, purusha-sooktham, rudram, chamakam, durgaa-sooktham, sree sooktham and shaanthi panchakam.
Before they left, I presented them my danams, and served them thaamboolam.
S Narayanaswamy Iyer