Can women cleaners clean the Baliharanam in temples after the offering of bali?
Vidwan’s reply:
Women cleaners who maintain the temple premises can clean the Baliharanam after bali is offered.
At temples, during Brahmotsavam, before the Utsava Perumal goes out in procession, can women offer harathi outside the sanctum?
Vidwan’s reply:
As it is the practice of the Archakas to offer harathi, it is a good practice and considered superior to let them offer the harathi.
Followed by a Gaya sraddham, having renounced Kothavarangai at Akshaya Vatam, can we partake any Kadamba prasadam at Mutt or Ashramam that includes Kothavaranga? What must we do if we partake this not knowing of its inclusion?
Vidwan’s reply:
Since Kothavarangai should not be mixed with tamarind, it will not be included in the Kadambam; hence the first part of the query is not applicable. If a vegetable that has been given up is included in any Bhagavad prasadam, we can remove it and continue to partake rest of the prasadam; or if one even not partake such a prasadam; it is as per their preference. Thought of Krishna alone is the atonement for partaking a food item that has been given up without being aware of its inclusion.
Adiyen performed Bharasamarpanam two years ago, but till now could not avoid partaking prohibited food items and does not perform daily sandhyavandhanam as ordained. Are there any atonements to rectify these follies that are committed knowingly? Will this hinder the attainment of my salvation?
Vidwan’s reply:
It is crucial to avoid such transgressions after bharasamarpanam since you are aware of it. Rectify such mistakes and follow the ordained austerities. Prayascitta prapatti can be done for such mistakes. These shall not hinder salvation.
Prayascittam is the way to rectify the sins that are committed knowingly. If one could not do prayashcittam, Bhagavan would administer lighter punishments and take us to salvation.
While sharanagati shall fructify and it can be done for any want; what if a sharanagati done by an Akincanyan for worldly benefits with absolute faith does not bear results? Is it because of one’s karma? Kindly clarify.
Vidwan’s reply:
Sharanagati will fructify. If Sharanagati didn’t fructify for worldly benefits then there may be deficiencies rendered in the components of sharanagati. Moreover, Perumal always takes care of our well-being. We might have performed for some reason and if it had not been for our good, then the sharanagati would not fructify.
We should understand if the sharanagati did not fructify it means the outcome is not favorable for one’s well-being and hence Perumal did not fulfill our wishes.
When one’s uncle from his paternal side ascends to parama-padam, should we avoid drawing kolams and celebrating festivals for a year?
Vidwan’s reply:
Kolams are not drawn during the observance of theetu period, some follow the practice of not drawing kolams for 40 days or until the first masyam or for 6 months. There are certain festivals like Srijayanti for which one should perform Tiruvaradhanam for Perumal, A couple of bakshanams can be prepared and offered to Perumal. Lighting lamps for Perumal are allowed during Thirukkarthigai. Those who do Makarasangramana Tharpanam have to continue them. So, celebrations can be done on a small scale.
It is up to an individual’s mindset in terms of not drawing kolams for one year, some start them on an auspicious day after the theetu period. Observing a period of sorrow is based on one’s closeness towards the departed.
What is Pathu? What are all-inclusive in Pathu? What about savories, pickles, and pulikachal?
Vidwan’s reply:
Please refer to Adi Sudarshanam Q13Jul21010 for the answer to the first part of the query by following this link
The food cooked oil like pulikachal is not considered pathu if it is not touched immediately after touching cooked rice. Pickles are not considered pathu, since salt is added it is kept separately.
What is the purport behind kaDavan, muDavan muzhukku, is there a story associated with it?
Vidwan’s reply:
Taking a bath at the sacred Kaveri is considered special during the month of Aippasi/Tula maasam. Taking a bath on the last day of that month is not considered that important and since one has to wait until the following year Tula maasam, though not special, at least one has to take a dip on the last day of that month.
A lame person who could not walk managed to reach for a bath on the first day of Karthigai month, yet he was granted the benefits of Tula Kaveri snanam per the story. The purpose behind this is one will gain the benefit of Tula snanam even if he takes a bath on the last day of Aippasi or on the first day of Karthigai month.
Can one who is invited (Nimantrana) for a maasyam or shraddham accept Perumal and Paduka tirtha in the morning after Tiruvaradhanam at their house or in a nearby temple?
Vidwan’s reply:
During normal times one accepts the tirtha thrice, but during nimantranam one partakes tirtham only once and partaking of Sripaada tirtham is not in practice.
What is the difference between kandarulapannudal and amsai during bhojyasanam? What is the procedure for doing it?
Vidwan’s reply:
Offering food to Emperuman is called kandarulapannudal or amsai so both are the same. Food has to be offered to Emperuman like how a mother feeds food affectionately to a child. As he graces the food, it is called kanduarulapannudal.
One of our relatives chants the Gayatri mantra while doing regular walks, is this acceptable?
Vidwan’s reply:
It is not appropriate to chant the Gayatri mantra during walks, hence it is not acceptable.
My husband attained Parama padam recently; during his first annual rites can my sister-in-law’s husband who is elder to him accept pitru sesham and can my elder brother and his wife who are elder to him partake food? What are the rules regarding this?
Vidwan’s reply:
During varushaptika shraddha they can sit for nimantranam but partaking pitru sesham is prohibited for all of them.
Adiyen has two daughters aged seven and four, Are they allowed to perform Salagrama worship?
Vidwan’s reply:
It is not in practice to allow children to be part of Salagrama pooja.
If a Shraddha falls on amavasyai, should tharpanam precede shraddha or after shraddha?
Vidwan’s reply:
If a shraddha occurs during amavasyai, ammavasai tharpanam should be done after conducting the shraddha as per scriptural practice.
Should one do parehani tharpanam the next day before sunrise? Many perform it after shraddha, which is the correct way?
Vidwan’s reply:
Parehani tharpanam should be performed the next day after sunrise immediately after performing Sandhyavandanam. This is the practice of elders.
For shraddha performed for others than parents, Parehani tharpanam is performed right after shraddha as a part of it, as per the scriptures. Only for the shraddha-s of father and mother the Parehani tharpanam is done.
If Seemanthonnayanam is an important ritual, then why is it done only for the first pregnancy?
Vidwan’s reply:
Yes, it is an important ritual conducted only for the first pregnancy as per current practice.
Few doubts about lighting lamps to Emperuman:
It is traditional to light up lamps for Thirumalaiappan during Purattasi Saturdays; can it be done for my favorite Emperuman Sriranganathan? Or must we light a lamp for Him during Panguni Revati or Vaikuntha Ekadasi? Can we light flour lamps for Thayar on Adi Fridays?
What is the greatness of lighting Kumbha/Gata lamps? Can we light lamps by filling the Kumbha with water on special days instead of agal lamps?
After offering layered lamps by the men folk, can we extinguish the flame to prevent the blackening of lamps?
Do we have the tradition of lighting Akanda Deepam on special days like it is done in North India? If so, what is the procedure?
Vidwan’s reply:
It is a tradition to light lamps for Thirumalaiappan during Purattasi and many are following it. If there exists a tradition to light up lamps for Ranganathan, it can be done, but we are not aware of any. Should we follow that which is not in tradition just to prove our devotion?
Each one has different practices per their household, if the concerned house follows the tradition of lighting a lamp during Vaikuntha Ekadasi for Ranganathan, then do so otherwise do not start something new that is not ordained in tradition.
Gata deepam is one among several types of lamps that are offered as harathi to Perumal at temples. It is considered special as stated in Agamas. Both gatam and deepam are auspicious, when offered together it becomes more auspicious.
There is no need to use kumbha deepam during festive days, we can continue with agal deepam as per the usual practice. There is no need to do anything new.
Generally, one should not extinguish the lighted wick; but a tiered lamp gets blackened fast and after offering the tiered lamp to Perumal, we should take it out and extinguish the flame cautiously; it should not be done before Perumal and other onlookers.
Even now some temples follow the tradition of lighted lamps without interruption; akanda means uninterrupted; the lamps that are lit up uninterruptedly is called akanda deepam; Some house also practice this tradition, it is called ‘anaayaa vilakku’ in Tamil; One need not have a big lamp for lighting akanda deepam instead we can make sure the flame is always lit continuously.
Had learned through previous Sudarsanam issues that Sharanagati means surrendering oneself to Emperuman and one need not worry about any burdens from then. If one continues to worry even after sharanagati, does it imply
One has not surrendered the soul properly? Should he surrender again?
Even if we have not surrendered our burdens properly, it is only our Acharya who surrenders on our behalf appropriately; and by implication, there are no shortcomings in our Sharanagati; How do we understand this?
Vidwan’s reply:
If one’s absolute faith is deficient after performing sharanagati, Emperuman transforms the not-so-faithful into becoming faithful and takes him to salvation, states Swami Desikan.
We should possess absolute trust that Acarya has performed sharanagati for us in a righteous manner. When we do sharanagati on our own we would falter. Be it ukti nishtai or Acarya nishtai, we should trust that Acharyan would have performed it as per the ordains. Only if we possess absolute faith in Acharya then salvation is assured.
