Sacred thread question (Pitri Tarpana)

September 8, 2009

Namaste,

As usual, I am cc'ing my answer to your question anonymously, so that others also benefit.

For people who play soccer, knee pads are helpful in avoiding knee injuries. But not everyone wearing good knee pads is a good soccer player and one can play soccer well without knee pads also. In 95% of the cases, knee pads make no difference. But, in the 5% cases where one falls down, they help one.

Similarly, one can do several rituals without yajnopavitam also. A yajnopavitam along the spine helps in regulating the energy flow. When energy (of self-awareness, aka Kundalini) rises high, one can lose self-awareness. A thread touching upper body, especially alone the spine, grounds one's self-awareness to the body and puts limits on how fast the energy can rise. However, wearing of a tight upper cloth changes the equation.

In general, yajnopavitam makes no difference most of the times. In a rare case when energy rises too high too suddenly and one is not prepared physically, yajnopavitam can prevent a temporary problem in the nervous system.

In my view, it is fine to do tarpana without a yajnopavitam and using a cloth as you describe Kaasi priests doing below.

However, I suggest wearing a yajnopavita to those who perform homam for spiritual progress or meditation with any mantra without moving the body much. Such people may sooner or later experience some movement of energy. Yajnopavitam grounds the energy and regulates its flow. Even if one doing a homam or meditation regularly did not get sacred thread formally, I suggest just getting one and wearing it by oneself. The tradition of getting a sacred thread at upanayanam makes sense if serious sadhana starts with Gayatri mantra from the upanayanam day. If someone without upanayanam done and sacred thread given is doing serious sadhana, it is a good idea to keep a sacred thread on. Wearing an upper cloth that touches body at some points around the spine area also serves pretty much the same purpose.

Best regards,NarasimhaDo a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homamDo Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpanaSpirituality: Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.netFree Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.orgSri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org

Dear Narasimha garu,In the below mail it is mentioned that Yajnopaviitam is one of the essential requirements for performing Tarpanam. When I recently visited Kaasi, I noticed the priests are tying diagnolly opposite ends of a towel and putting that like a yajnopaviitam for the people who do not have them.Is this an absolute must that one should have an yajnopaviitam or some other arrangement like above for performing Tarpana ?Also it would be nice if you can put up some video of Tarpana / Atleast a photo image of holding the darbhas. It is very difficult to hold darbhas in such a way that the tips align with the tips of the fingers. I am using rubber band sometimes.Thanks and Best Regards,<deleted>--- On Fri, 9/4/09, G Balasubramanian <gbsub wrote:

G Balasubramanian <gbsub Fw: [uSBrahmins] Fwd: [shakti-L: 10093] Shortage of priests affects annual Pitra Paksh ritualsviprasamhitha (AT) googl (DOT) comDate: Friday, September 4, 2009, 7:24 AM

----- Forwarded Message ----G Balasubramanian <gbsub >USBrahmins@gro ups.comThursday, September 3, 2009 9:46:08 AMRe: [uSBrahmins] Fwd: [shakti-L: 10093] Shortage of priests affects annual Pitra Paksh rituals

Dear Friends,For general information I would like to submit that Shraddha is required to be performed not only during Pitr Paksha but also on the respective anniversary Thithi in the respective anniversary Paksha and respective anniversary month of one`s father and mother,if they are not alive. In South India, Sraddha is observed as above. This is known as Pratyaabdika Sraddham. It calls for certain voluntary restrictions and sacrifices on the part of the karta and elaborate rituals with Homam and offering of Vastra, Bhojanam ( as per family tradition) and decent Dakshina to the Brahmins who officiate as pitr and visvedeva apart from appropriate Dakshina to the family or other priest who conducts the Shraddha proceedings. Pitr Paksha Sraddha involves offerings also to Karunika Pitrs i.e., relatives who died and for whom there were no issues or for whom there is none willing to perform Shraddha rites. Pitr Paksha Sraddha is far simpler and less time consuming as compared to annual Sraddha referred to above. In Pitr Paksha Sraddhas normally 5 Brahmins of which one has to be a priest are required. One of the brahmins is nominated as Karunika Pitr. In place of meals as in Pratyaabdika Sraddham , in Pitr Paksha Sraddhams they are offered rice,dal and some vegetable like raw plantain and any other thing as per custom. In USA and other offshore lands, very few freelance priests are available as in India. It is also difficult to get more than one priest at a time, at places where they are available, since most of the priests are working for Hindu temples. But the temples allow the priest for house visit or for performing rituals in the temple complex itself. There are prescribed scales of fees for various rituals to be paid to the temple. Over and above this one cay pay any gratis amout to the priest. The list of items to be given as danam to the priest included milk, curd,ghee,3 varieties of fruits and 2,3 varieties of vegetables in addition to those listed above.Coming to the question as to what can be done if one is located at a place where no priests are available, one should do at least Pitr tarpanam, if one is accustomed to performing Tarpanams on Amavasya, Sankramanams, Grahana kalams and all other Punyakalams. Essential requirements for Tarpanam are Yagnopaveetham, Dharbha Grass,Black til (2,3 grams) and a rice(2 grams). If one is not performing these prescribed(ordained ) rites, he needs to seek kshama from Pitrus on that day for non-performance and at the earliest possible occasions contact a Guru or Purohit and seek advice on remedial actions. It is permissible to perform Shraddha on some other occasion. Pl. consult the Purohit in this regard. My suggestion is at least feed poor people or Brahmins on the day of Shraddha. Unquestionable faith (shraddha) is a must in such ceremonies. Do not give Dakshina to priest grudgingly. Have faith and belief that the pitrs get pleased by doing the prescribed rites.G.Balasubramanian

Shankerprasad Bhatt <ssbhatt79 (AT) gmail (DOT) com>USBrahmins@gro ups.comCc: @grou ps.comWednesday, September 2, 2009 12:43:16 PM[uSBrahmins] Fwd: [shakti-L: 10093] Shortage of priests affects annual Pitra Paksh rituals

Shraddha Paksha is started from this Saturday and we are required tooffer prayers for the salvation of our family members.When priests arenot available all Hindus ought to recite prayers for the liberation ofour mother father and other relatives.Besides we ought to recite Bhagvata Gita and Vishnu Sahastra Nama and do some kirtans by rememberingthem.Go to the temple and offer donations to the temples and itspriestsI will be sending article on Shraddha ceremonyS S Bhatt---------- Forwarded message ----------sri venkat <ahvenkitesh@ gmail.com>Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 2:51 AM[shakti-L: 10093] Shortage of priests affects annual PitraPaksh ritualsTo:Shortage of priests affects Hindu riteshttp://www.newkeral a.com/nkfullnews -1-103622. html

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