Should women chant Dwadasa nama while applying Thiruman kappu on their forehead and nape or can they just say Kesavaya NamaH/Sriyai NamH / Damodaraya NamaH/Surasundaryai NamaH alone?
Vidwan’s reply:
Women should chant all the twelve names of Perumal and Thayar, although they apply only to the forehead and nape.
Q36KAR22029
What are the general austerities a woman should practice every day and what should be cooked during the occurrence of a new month etc.?
Vidwan’s reply:
Please refer to Sudarshanm’s youtube channel “NithyaKarma of SriVaishnava Women” video on the daily austerities for women.
During a new month, one can cook food that is usually cooked during sraddham, certain households avoid Toor dal and turmeric on these days. Certain other households cook festive food, so please follow the tradition of one’s household.
Notes:
One should avoid vegetables that are not prescribed especially during the new month. For those who prepare sraddham-like food during the occurrence of the new month, One can use moong dal, urad dal, cumin, pepper, ginger, curry leaves, coconut, jaggery for cooking. Some do ‘poricha kuzambu’, vegetables like Colocasia, raw plantain are seasoned by powdering urad dal, pepper, coconut, and curry leaves. Satramadhu can be done similarly. Vegetables that are used during a sraddham can be used during new month as well. Raw plantain, bitter gourd, Colocasia are the prescribed vegetables. It is important not to use turmeric for cooking. Thirukannamadhu is important and can be cooked using jaggery which can be offered to Perumal.
What are the daily austerities for unmarried girls and for girls who have not performed samashrayanam?
Adiyen is not married and has asked this question because adiyen does not belong to a Srivaishnava family and has been born and brought up abroad. Due to some reasons, adiyen could not come to India for performing samashrayanam but is desirous of following the practices of Srivaishanava tradition until such time. The husbands of our household do not render puja and adiyen being attracted to Srivaishnava tradition had put forth this question for practising the tradition.
Vidwan’s reply:
Unmarried Srivaishnava girls should wake up by chanting the name of Hari, after personal cleansing one should plait the hair, apply Thiruman, and wear jewels. After lighting the lamp at the sanctum of Perumal, one must recite Acarya thanian, pasurams, and other shlokas. similarly this can be repeated during the evenings.
One can spend time learning new shlokas, listening to upanyasam-s.
One must obey the words of elders especially, unmarried girls; they should help the elders of the house so that they can lend an extending hand once they get married. This helping trait shall be useful in nurturing household values and fostering tradition.
Some do not perform samashrayanam before marriage as the Acarya might vary when one gets married.
If they had performed samashrayanam one must daily chant the mantra initiated by the Acarya.
It is the absolute grace of Emperuman that you have obtained the thought of becoming a Srivaishnava. Until you are blessed with a noble preceptor you can continue to chant the divine names of Emperuman. Chant Hari while waking up, chant Pundarikaksha while taking bath, chant Govinda while partaking food, and chant Madhava while going to sleep. If you are a singer, you can learn songs on Emperuman. You can recite stotras and Prabandham. Draw kolam before the picture of Emperuman, light up lamps, and offer flowers and worship. Listen to upanyasam-s and pray to Him for association with a preceptor, he shall show the way.
Are there any references to acamana for women in Ithihasa and Puranas?
Vidwan’s reply:
Women can learn about acamana through the practice followed by elders. One need not worry about the references provided by Ithihasa or Purana. The tradition followed by our elders is proof. The method to do acamana can be learned from the video attached for question Q36KAR2029.
Can sumangali women apply manjal kappu and kungkumam on their forehead, especially over Thiruman and Srichuranam?
Vidwan’s reply:
Yes, they can certainly wear manjal kappu and kungkumum on their forehead over Thiruman and Srichurnam.
Can a Srivaishanava women recite Hanuman chalisa?
Vidwan’s reply:
It is not wrong to recite Hanuman chalisa but reciting stotras written exclusively by our preceptors is deemed better.
Can Andal goshti alone recite Gadya-Trayam at temples?
Vidwan’s reply:
It is not in practice for Andal gsohti alone to recite in temples. In recent times in newly constructed temples women have been included to recite stotrams. But it is not in our tradition to recite gadya-trayam as Andal goshti alone.
