During the eclipse, some atonements/remedies are done for those who are born under certain stars and who are affected by the eclipse. What are the practices of our elders in this matter?
Vidwan’s reply:
As per our sampradayam, the remedy we follow is to light up one more lamp along with the lamp that we lit before Perumal every day. If need be, we can go to the temple the next day after the eclipse and offer archanai to Emperuman.
When younger ones attain Paramapadam, the elders do not accept the pitru sesham. Why differentiate the souls in terms of young or old? I have asked this question put forth to me.
Vidwan’s reply:
Yes, when younger ones attain Paramapadam, the elders do not accept the pitru sesham though all of us are souls. But a relationship cannot be altered, a father is a father, and a son is a son. Hence this practice, moreover there is no need for the elderly to accept the sesham.
Can we use millet (of different varieties) instead of rice during Ekadasi, Dwadasi, and Ammavasyai? If so, what are the millets that can be used on Ekadasi, and how to break them finely?
Vidwan’s reply:
Only rice has to be broken when it is used during Ekadasi, millets can be taken without breaking it.
However, it appears that millet cannot be used primarily during Dwadasi or Ammavasyai as we partake cooked rice. If millets are used for diabetes, a morsel of cooked rice should be used for doing pariseshanam and then one can consume cooked millets as a substitute for rice.
Ragi, horsetail millet, little millets can be used in millets.
Should we do Achamanam during tharpanam performed during the eclipse?
Vidwan’s reply:
Achamanam should be done before performing tharpanam during the eclipse. It does not mean that one has partaken tirtham. Moreover, before doing any karma and after doing agrakarma, achamanam has to be done. It is not considered as partaking tirtham and nor any taint is accrued due to this. Ahcamanam has to be performed before and after doing karma.
Why should we do tharpanam during an eclipse? What is the significance?
Vidwan’s reply:
Grahana kalam is punya kalam and the ritual is an ordained one. The benefits derived by performing tharpanam during a grahana kalam are more than performing on normal occurrences. Hence it is a must to perform tharpanam during an eclipse.
Can shaving be done after punya kalam during the eclipse by both those who perform tharpanam and those who do not perform tharpanam? Should we partake tiffin at night after performing tharpanam? For example, the recent moon eclipse.
Vidwan’s reply:
Tiffin is not a must for grahana tharpanam. Haircuts or shaving is not done normally during a punya kalam; as it is a tharpana day immediately after the eclipse, it is not allowed. It can be done on the day that follows the day after the day of the eclipse. If the day is prathamai then it is not in practice to shave. There is no mention of shaving specifically in scriptures which implies it is not allowed.
Adiyen is a 43-year-old brahamachari who has undergone samashrayanam and is yet to perform bharanyasam. I do not have kith or kin to perform my last rites when I attain Paramapadam. Can I perform shraddha for myself? If so can I do it once or should I do it until the end of my life?
Vidwan’s reply:
Please perform bharanyasam at the earliest. After you have attained Paramapada if you do not have any close relatives, some distant relatives will perform the last rites. It is not in practice to do shraddha for one’s self and it should not be done as well.
What is Perumal tirtham that is offered after performing Tiruvaradhanam?
Is it the prayigraha patram that is offered for the respective asanam (That is, arghyam, paadyam, etc.), the snanaasana tirtham offered to Perumal? Or is it the snanaasana which is not the thirumanjanam tirtham? What should we do with this tirtham?
If we perform thirumanjanam with milk for Perumal, what should we do with the milk?
In our house as the children have to leave for school and college, the thaligai is prepared quite early. As a result, we prepare separate food for offering during Tiruvaradhanam. Kindly advise how to offer the thaligai during bhojyaasanam.
Vidwan’s reply:
A. The tirtham offered after Tiruvaradhanam is the snanaasana tirtham. That is, the tirtham with which thirumanjanam was performed for Perumal. Even if it is mixed with arghya, paadaya tritham, no harm in this. All the tirtham are to be partaken.
B. If Perumal thirumanjanam is done with milk, it can be partaken by us and can be distributed to children, as it is auspicious.
It is not a mistake to prepare a second thaligai specifically for offering to Perumal when the first thaligai was prepared for the children. It is the practice of the elders to include curd along with the second offering (Steamed rice).
Upanayanam has been performed for adiyen’s son recently. I have taught him sandhyavandanam. Are there any books on sandhyavandanam mantras that can be used for reference and guidelines on how to do it? We are disciples of Srisannidhi.
Vidwan’s reply:
There is a detailed book with a description of sandhyavandanam available at Srirangam Srimad Poundarikapuram Andavan Ashram. You can get that for reference.
Adiyen’s husband attained Paramapadam recently. All the karmas till the varushabdikam (First anniversary ceremonies) are being performed by the son of my brother-in-law (Husband’s brother). Who must perform the shraddha that comes after this? For Adiyen’s question on this, you had asked whether I have a grandson. I have two daughters. I have a grandson through my younger daughter. He is 12 years old and has undergone upanayanam.
Vidwan’s reply:
For a woman or man, all the karmas after their demise must be done sons born to them. If they have no son, the daughter’s son, especially her first son, can perform karma.
You have mentioned that for your husband, the karma is performed by your brother-in-law’s son. He would not have performed directly as the principal karta; instead, he would have performed by accepting kaippul from you. Continuing to do so will be appropriate.
Can we use agarbathi (Incense sticks) for our Perumal at home?
Vidwan’s reply:
Yes, agarbathi can be used.
Can we draw kolam during Ammavasyai?
Vidwan’s reply:
Yes, kolams can be drawn during Ammavasyai.
Can we do samashrayanam and bharanyasam under different preceptors? If so whom should we consider our Acarya? Whose custom should be followed during festival times?
Vidwan’s reply:
If samashrayanam and bharanyasam are performed under different Acarya-s, both have to be revered. If it happens to a woman, once she gets married, she has to follow the custom practiced by her in-laws. For example, if a woman has performed bharanyasam before her marriage, when she gets married into a family of different sampradayam and performs samashrayanam under the Acarya for that family she has to follow the customs and celebrate festivities belonging to that sampradayam.
How many lamps can be lit for Perumal at our home, should it be one or even two lamps?
Can we keep our ancestors’ photos in Perumal’s sanctum?
Vidwan’s reply:
It is sufficient if we light one lamp in the sanctum of Perumal at home. If we desire, we can light one more lamp, nothing wrong with it. The lamp we light every day can be filled with oil and during special occasions, another lamp filled with ghee is lit up in a few households.
If the sanctum is big enough to accommodate, we can hang those photos under the photos of Perumal. The pictures of ancestors and Acarya-s can be placed at a lower level.
Should we light two lamps and keep them outside during the entire month of Karitigai?
Should we light up additional lamps apart from regular two lamps lit before the first day before Pancharathra deepam? Is this appropriate as per the scriptures? Annamalai deepam also occurs on the same day. Should we light up many lamps the next day of Kartigai deepam?
Vidwan’s reply:
There is a practice of lighting up two lamps which are kept outside during the entire month of Kartigai.
The day before Pancharathra deepam is called Bharani deepam. On that day and the subsequent day of Pancharathra deepam more than two lamps are lit as per the practice. So, there is nothing wrong with this.
