As per Ahara Niyamam, which vegetables and fruits must one avoid (Watermelon, Tomato, Moringa (drumstick), etc.)?
Vidwan’s reply
Some include Watermelon and Tomato as part of their diet while some others do not. Very orthodox people, avoid these. Besides these, many have excluded Moringa (drumstick), Onion, Radish, and Cabbage.
Can Garlic and others that must be avoided from the diet be used as medicines? (It is said that garlic milk is good to treat cough and cold).
Vidwan’s reply
There is absolutely no need for using garlic to treat cough and cold. There are several alternative medicines available.
As a medicine to treat cough and cold, there is no better alternative than Tulasi (Thirutuzhai). Even plucking this will yield relief. Besides this, many other medicines can be used. There is no need to use garlic as a medicine to treat cough and cold since this is classified as a food item that must be avoided.
Can a couple who have undergone sharanagati, celebrate Shasthiabdapoorthi? What will be a suitable method to perform Shasthiabdapoorthi? We live in a Divya Desam; as it is a village, temples for demi-gods exist here. We are asked to donate to fund these temples; can we contribute as a Bhagavad Aradhanam? Some do not understand this concept. We belong to the Vadakalai sect. The temple here follows the Thenkalai tradition and demi-gods are available in this temple. Can we go to such temples?
Vidwan’s reply
Couples who have undergone sharanagati can certainly perform Shasthiabdapoorthi; this is mentioned in the Sutra-s. The method to perform Shasthiabdapoorthi includes chanting of Vedas, erecting Kumbham, etc. There are no specific rules around this. Srivaishnava priests know what needs to be done and one can engage them for such functions. Importantly, Acharya sambhavanai, blessings with akshatai, Tirumangalya Dharanam, Aupasanam, etc. are a must.
As the temple village might have sanctums for demi-gods, it will be awkward when asked for a donation for their kainkaryam and one might not have a choice and have to oblige for the sake of harmonious living with the society. It appears it would be better to adjust to situations, instead of trying to determine whether these are allowed by scriptures. We are making many unwanted and unjustified expenses such as cable TV subscriptions, etc. Such donations can be treated as one of many unwanted expenses. If possible, avoid these expenses. If there are demi-gods in temples, ignore those sanctums and worship only at Perumal sanctums.
Based on adiyen’s understanding – after one who has undergone prapatti at an young age, commits several intentional and unintentional sinful deeds. The unintentional sins are ignored but for intentional sinful deeds only when one performs prayschitta (atonement) prapatti, there will not be any obstacles for attaining moksham. Is adiyen’s understanding correct? What will happen when one does not perform prayschitta prapatti?
Vidwan’s reply
One’s attainment of moksham will not be prevented when one commits intentional sinful deeds after having undergone prapatti at a young age. Performance of prapatti will certainly lead one to moksham.
However, there are two dangers – association with demi-gods and offending a bhagavata. These two must be avoided, and all other types of sins will not impact prapatti.
For all other sinful deeds whether done deliberately or unwittingly, Emperuman will punish lightly. After the completion of such punishments, prapatti will certainly yield fruits. If one does not want to undergo the lighter punishments, they can do prayaschitta prapatti as atonement to remove obstacles to attaining moksham. It is not mandatory to perform prayaschitta prapatti; even when does not do so, moksham will ensue because of prapatti.
I have heard that ghee must added twice to rice for pariseshanam. Is this correct?
Vidwan’s reply
There are no rules that ghee is to be added two times for pariseshanam. Some might do so because it is a practice. But ghee must be added for pariseshanam.
In the pooja room at home, which direction the pictures and photos of Perumal must not be facing?
Which direction must the photos of ancestors in the lineages be facing?
Vidwan’s reply
In pooja rooms, Perumal photos and pictures can be facing any direction.
If photos of ancestors are hung in the pooja room, they must be placed or hung a level below the photos of Perumal. The ancestors’ photos can be facing East.
The Thayars the utsava Perumals at Kanchipuram and Melkote are similar in appearance carrying a lotus flower in their right hand. But at other Divya Desam-s Sridevi Thayar holds a lotus flower in her right hand while Bhudevi Thayar holds it in her left hand. Is there a specific reason for the Thayars at Kanchipuram and Melkote to carry the lotus flower in their right hand?
Vidwan’s reply
There appears to be no reason for these two Thayars to hold the lotus flower in their right hand. Agama texts might have prescribed both these styles and these Thayars might have been consecrated based on those prescriptions.
All are allowed to witness the tirumanjanam of Emperuman; why do they screen off while Emperuman is offered the prasadams?
Vidwan’s reply
Tirumanjanam is of two types – Lokaanta tirumanjanam and Ekanta tirumanjanam.
Lokanta tirumanjanam is for us to witness; during this Perumal will be adorned with clothes and there is no harm in witnessing this tirumanjanam
It is an offense to see or worship when Perumal is offered the prepared prasadams. He must be allowed to partake prasadam without any obstruction and disturbance. That is the reason no sevakaalam is allowed during this time. When sevakaalam is recited during this time, Perumal will be made to move his concentration to sevakaalam and he will not be able to partake adequate prasadam. It is similar to us watching television while eating taking our focus away from eating.
To facilitate Perumal partake prasadam adequately, other services such as recitation of sevakaalam, prostrating in front of him, chanting, etc. are avoided. Hence we are supposed to witness this; if we do, we will make Perumal focus on us. This is the reason to screen off Perumal while he partakes prasadam.
Can a bachelor who has undergone upanayanam wear 12 Thiruman?
Vidwan’s reply
According to our tradition, only after samashrayanam can one adorn 12 Thiruman and it is not a practice to do so before samashrayanam.
My father’s sraddha tithi is Avani Saptami. In this year’s panchangam, Saptami is shown to occur on three days of Avani (Avani 2nd, 17th and 32nd days). From these days, on which days must the sraddham be performed? Usually my father’s tithi occur one day before Gokulashtami. Kindly clarify the confusion regarding the tithi.
Vidwan’s reply
The sraddham must be performed on Avani Krishna paksham Saptami tithi which is on Avani 2nd, August 18th, a Thursday.
Adiyen – if we have Salagrama and Perumal deities at home, can we perform Tiruvaradhanam twice a day? Or is Tiruvaradhanam restricted once a day?
Vidwan’s reply
It is enough if Tiruvaradhanam is performed once a day for Salagrama and other Perumal deities. It is special to perform Tiruvaradhanam second time during the nighttime. One must be pure to perform this Tiruvaradhanam. Even when the second Tiruvaradhanam is not performed, we must at least offer milk during nighttime. We can offer the food items that we partake, if not at least milk must be offered.
There is no harm if we are unable to perform Tiruvaradhanam second time for Salagrama. Also, there is no compulsion to do so.
Adiyen is desirous of performing Sharanagathi but has a physical ailment of nerves due to which adiyen could not prostrate Acaryan. Can adiyen have the fortune of performing Sharanagati?
Vidwan’s reply
It is possible to perform Sharanagati irrespective of your ailments, if you cannot visit in person, you can put forth your request to Acaryan, he shall perform Sharanagathi on behalf of you unto Emperuman.
Can we use urad dal during Ekadasi, can we use them while making idli, upma and serve them to elders?
Vidwan’s reply
During Ekadasi one must not partake any food, it is considered secondary if one partakes food owing to physical disability or any other reasons.
One must avoid whole rice, and the rest including using urad dal is also considered secondary during Ekadasi.
How should one celebrate the day that we performed Bharanyasam? Should it be based on date or based on the day and star?
Vidwan’s reply
One must celebrate the day based on the month and star in which Bharanayasam was done. This is dearer than a wedding day. It is special to celebrate this day in any way possible.
Our ancestors belong to a place called Keezhpattam at Thirunelveli, who migrated to Neduntheru and from there to Srirangam. We are not sure about our kula deivam. Once we use to worship Chakratazhwar as our kula deivam, present in a separate temple at Keezhpattam. Now that temple is no longer present, and the deity is also at another temple. A few days ago, we did thirumanjanam for Prasanna Rajagopalaswami of Neduntheru. Who should we accept as our kula deivam?
Text
Description automatically generatedVidwan’s reply
We do not know the answer if you are unsure of who your kula deivam is.
Generally, our kula deivam is Perumal only. Alavandar has stated ‘stoshyami naH kuladanam kuladeivatham tat’. You can accept any one Perumal as your kula deivam. The answer can be known from the video link provided here.
How many times should one recite their Acarya thaniyan in a day? Is there a way to learn asmad deiska asmadiya slokam?
Vidwan’s reply
One can recite their Acarya thaniyan as many times possible, but one must recite at least once before proceeding to do japam.
Whenever we feel we have sinned and have committed offence we have to chant this slokam.
asmad desikam asmadIya paramAcaryan aSeshAn gurun
srimallakshmana yogi pungava mahApUrnau munim yAmunam |
rAmam padmavilocanam munivaram natham saTha-dveSinam
seneSam sriyam indirA sahacaram nArayaNam samSraye ||
Can one use darbha mat instead of a wooden plank during the evening Sandhya-vandhanam and chant gayatri japam?
Vidwan’s reply
Using a wooden plank during evening sandhya is better than using a mat made of darbha grass.
What will be the status of the jIvAtmA at Srivaikuntham after attaining moksham? How will be our body?
How will be our knowledge?
Will we be called by the name given to us by our parents on Earth?
In addition to Perumal, Thayar and Nityasuri-s, will we be able to worship Azhwars and Acharyas? Can we converse with them in Tamil?
Vidwan’s reply
After attaining moksham, we will not have the same physical body that we have here; we can take a new physical body at Srivakuntham which will be devoid of all the defects of the physical body on Earth; it will be a divine body and is called ‘aprAkruta’ (an extraordinary body not made of 5 elements).
We will have knowledge that will enable us to know everything i.e. we become omniscient. Before attaining moksham, our knowledge is diminished due to our karma; at Srivaikuntham, as the effects of both good and bad deeds are removed, we will have undiminished knowledge.
There is no need for us to have the same name we have on Earth; we will not have the same name.
We worship Perumal, Thayar, Nityasuri-s, Azhwars, and Acharyas; we can talk to all of them. We can talk to them in Tamil. Svami Desikan has said we can recite stotras in Tamil at Srivaikuntham – “pallANDE pallANDum pADuvOmE”.
How to learn in detail about orthodoxies (AcAram)? Kindly explain the basics of Vishistadwaitam philosophy.
Vidwan’s reply
To learn more about orthodoxy, one can attend kalakshepams on Ahnika Grantham. One can join the GSPK Ahnika Grantha kalakshepam by completing an application through this
https://forms.gle/ob8JhquSN5BHRGBT linkhttps://forms.gle/ob8JhquSN5BHRGBT6.
A picture containing website
Description automatically generatedTo know about the fundamentals of Vishistadwaitam, one can listen to GSPK’s series of discourses on “Sribhasya Saaram” available through the link in the picture below.
Adiyen heard about this in discourse – even after performing prapatti if one is associated with other demi-gods during the rest of their lifetime, the person delivering the discourse said that it means that prapatti has not been performed properly. Is this correct?
Will a prapatti performed as Acharya nishtai (surrendering to an Acharya and letting him to present one as a prapanna) or Ukti nishtai (repeating the words of prapatti as instructed by an Acharya), fail? If it can, what the person delivering the discourse said might apply to those who have performed prapatti as Sva nishtai (attaining the necessary knowledge through one’s own efforts to perform prapatti) or if the said prapatti was initiated by an unqualified person. How to understand this?
Vidwan’s reply
Swami Desikan has talked about this – that is when a person who is associated with other demi-gods if his or her prapatti has not been administered properly, it means that it is not the fault of the person who administers prapatti and instead it is the fault of the person who performed prapatti, as they continue to be associated with other demi-gods.
Let us look at the responses for Svanishtaa, Acharyanishtaa, etc., in a later issue.
What is Chandrashtamam? What are the Dos and Don’ts during Chandrashtamam? Can Srivaishnavas give importance to this? How to approach this?
Vidwan’s reply
Chandrashtamam is the 8th raasi from our raasi. The days on which it occurs are calculated as Chandrashtamam days. We do not need to give much importance to this. We need to have an understanding that during these days, our efforts might not result in the desired outcome. Other than this, nothing much to do.
We can continue to do our daily austerities. Muhurtham will not be arranged on Chandrashtamam days – for example, for the one who is about to get married, the marriage ceremonies will not be arranged on the day of his or her Chandrashtamam. This is as per Jyotisha Shastram. Chandashtamam will not affect the performance of daily duties, austerities, and utsavams.
While undertaking kainkaryam of Tirumanjanam at temples or during Sudarshana homam at homes, can the sankalpam by prapannas include “bhagavad prItyartham”? Or is it appropriate to do the sankalpam with one’s gotram, nakshatram, name, etc.?
Vidwan’s reply
Prapannas sankalpam must include “bhagavad prItyartham”. At the same time, for certain sankalpams, gotram, nakshatram might need to be invoked. Even as per the scriptures, certain rituals might require sankalpam to include gotram, nakshatram, etc.
Similarly, for Tirumanjana kainkaryam at temples, one can include gotram, nakshatram, name in sankalpam, or can choose not to do so. Instead, they can invoke ‘bhagavad prItyartham’.
It appears it is a practice to include name, gotram and nakshatram in the sankalpam for Sudarshana homam performed at home as they are performed for the health and wealth benefits of the household members. Even here, one can include ‘bhagavad prItyartham’ followed by name, gotram and nakshatram in the sankalpam.
When we embark on a journey to foreign countries or to other places, can these be done Amavasyai days? Can any auspicious tasks be started on Amavasyai days?
Vidwan’s reply
According to Jyotisha shastram, Amavasyai is generally not considered an auspicious day. It is seen that when determining auspicious days, Amavasyai has been excluded.
Some statements say that Amavasyai is a day fit for auspicious tasks. But, Amavasyai can be considered only when other suitable days are not available; Amavasyai is secondary.
In the previous issue of Sudarshanam, Svami clarified adiyen’s query that even if it is a Perumal prasadam, a Srivaishnava must not accept that prasadam when offered by a non-Srivaishnava; it is considered a dosham. On that day, without being aware of this, aidyen had already partaken Opiliappan prasadam (sarkkarai pongal) and Tiruppati laddu prasadam. Would adiyen have accrued effects of sin because of this? If so, what is the atonement?
Vidwan’s reply
There are types of doshams that can occur through food; first occurs when one partakes a food that is not Perumal prasadam; the second occurs when we eat food given by others, which will be considered anacharam.
In this instance, this devotee has partaken Perumal prasadam. This will not result in the first dosham; If he is an orthodox person, there is an impact on his orthodoxy (Anacharam). There are certain atonements for this like partaking Panchagavyam. Or if the bhagavata generally has a habit of eating food prepared externally by others, no further harm can happen.
Notes:
It is better to look at the message at a higher level and understand the essence. Avoid overthinking by ascribing perspectives and asking queries based on these.
