As Tantondrimalai Perumal is our family deity, can adiyen go to Tirumalai?
Vidwan’s reply:
You can certainly go to Tirumalai. It is very beneficial.
As per the panchangam, at times for a given day, a nakshatra or tithi exists only for a new nazhigai-s; (Example – Swati 28.01 or Dwadasi 15.00). Can we consider, that nakshatra or tithi is for the same duration (nazhigai-s) from sunrise, at all locations? For instance, at location A, sunrise is at 6.30 AM and at location B it is at 7 AM; if Dwadasi is for 10 nazhigai-s, can we consider that Dwadasi exists till 10.30 AM at location A, and it exists till 11 AM at location B?
As per the panchangam, Ekadasi tithi does not exist on March 21st. On that day, though Dwadasi exists for 60 nazhigai-s, why then did we observe Ekadasi on 21st instead of the previous day?
Vidwan’s reply:
While following the Vakhya Panchangam, at all locations a nakshtram or tithi can be considered to exist for the same nazhigai from sunrise. For those who follow Drik Panchangam, these calculations could differ.
Dwadasi did exist for a short duration on the day after March 21st. For such occurrences, Dwadasi paranai is done on the day of the tail-end (Puccha) of Dwadasi tithi and Ekadasi fasting is on the day before.
When one renders services at the temple, are there any allowances for us to practice our daily anushtanam-s beyond the stipulated time or for a shorter duration, as per our scriptures? For example, offering kAlAtIta arghyam or performing upasthanam before the stipulated time.
Vidwan’s reply:
When one is involved in rendering services at the temple, one is allowed to perform the anushtanam beyond the stipulated time. One must perform prayashchittam (atonement) for the delay. One should not reduce or cut short the anushtanam. It can be done as per one’s ability. Upasthanam must not be performed before the stipulated time.
If a prapanna does not perform nitya (daily) and naimittika (occasional) karma-s after prapatti, will moksha be denied?
Vidwan’s reply:
Prapatti and moksha are associated with each other, while nitya karma and moksha are not. But nitya karma is a common injunction, a rule. Non-performance of nitya karma will accrue sin and only after undergoing the resultant punishment, will one be able to attain moksha. Like how telling lies and stealing are sins, so is not performing the nitya karma. One who has undergone prapatti must not lie or steal or commit other types of sins; similarly, that person must continue to perform nitya karma. Prapatti is a special means for attaining moksha; for which one must not transgress the common law.
If my mother-in-law shraddha happens to fall on Dwadasi, can we do paranai? Paranai time is in the morning and the time for shraddha is after 11 AM; how to observe paranai?
Vidwan’s reply:
Karta and other Swami-s who participate in the rituals must not do paranai in the morning; others can do paranai. Since one whose father is not alive must not partake twice during daytime, they will not be able to partake ishta pankti; if one needs to partake ishta pankti, one can do paranai by drinking water.
Can one move to another rental house during the month of Chittirai?
Vidwan’s reply:
One can move to another rental house in Chittirai.
Can we go to worship Perumal at a Divya Desam on the hill within one year of a family member attaining Paramapadam? Adiyen’ s paternal grandparents (both 90+ years old) have attained Paramapadam and is less than a year since their departure. Since adiyen needs to travel overseas, can adiyen worship Athigiri Varadan?
Vidwan’s reply:
It is still a practice for the karta and his wife not to go to a Divya Desam on the hill in the first year. It appears that the rest of the family members are allowed to worship at Divya Desam on a hill.
Adiyen is 57 years old and adiyen’ s husband is 60 years old. Both of them have undergone samashrayanam and will be undergoing bharanyasam. We have one daughter. She married one from the Vishvakarma clan and they have a son. Who will perform the last rites of parents like us whose only daughter married into a different caste? What are the rules regarding this?
Vidwan’s reply:
First, do prapatti. These days many castes have mixed with the Vishvakarma clan. If the Vishvakarma is a Vaishya (for whom rituals like upanayanam are applicable), the grandson can perform the last rites. If not, if the wife attains Paramapadam first, the husband can perform the last rites; if the husband attains Paramapadam first, a close male relative or another male Brahmin can accept the kaippul from the wife to perform the last rites. For the one who attains Paramapadam last, a close relative or another male Brahmin can do the rites.
Is Vaishvadeva aradhanam performed at temples when thaliagi is offered to Perumal?
Vidwan’s reply:
Vaishvadevam is the nitya karma that needs to be performed by a household male and it is not at all related to rituals at temples.
In the goshtis that take place inside and outside temples, can all Srivaishnava-s participate? Who all are allowed to participate in such goshtis?
Vidwan’s reply:
One can participate in goshtis as per the traditions followed by the respective temples.
As per the Jyotisha Shastram, the day on which Rohini nakshatra is associated with Krishna paksha Ashtrami is called Jayanthi day. Hence, Jayanthi means it refers to Sri Jayanthi only. If so, are there any specific names for the days on which Perumal incarnated as Varaha, Narasimha, etc.? Why do we call even those days Jayanthi?
Vidwan’s reply:
Only that oil/ghee (Nei/eNNai) which is extracted from Sesame (El) is called eNNai, which we call as ElleNNai. These days it is common to call anything that is oily, eNNai; hence, we have used unique identifiers to name specific types of oil – thEngAi eNNai, AmaNakku eNNai, vEppeNNai, etc. Without using any Identifier, we call ElleNNai as “nalla eNNai”.
Similarly, Sri Jayanthi is Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s day of incarnation. As Sri Jayanthi refers to the day on which Emperuman incarnated, days of other incarnations are called Matsya Jayanthi, Varaha Jayanthi, Nrisimha Jayanthi, etc. We can day on which Krishna incarnated as Sri Jayanthi
I heard in a discourse that we must not sleep on earth to ensure that our yagyopaveetam (sacred thread) does not touch the floor; but when we prostrated to worship Perumal or before our elders, yagyopaveetam comes into contact with the floor; what should we do?
Vidwan’s reply:
The place where Perumal or elders are present is considered to be sacred, when a sacred thread comes into contact with the floor at such places, it is not considered to be tainted.
Can we teach the sandhyavandanam mantras with intonations (Svaram) to young boys who have not yet undergone upanayanam? Is there any sankalpam for performing sandhyavandanam?
Vidwan’s reply:
Sandhyavandanam mantras must not be taught to young boys who have not undergone upanayanam. Sandhyavandnam does have sankalpam.
