Post No. 13,732
Date uploaded in London – 1 October 2024
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Mahalaya Amavasya Day is on 2nd October for the year 2024. Already the ancestors and departed souls of each family are here for the past two weeks. Hindus believe they descend on earth from their abode up above the sky. They eagerly wait for our offerings.
Believe it or not! Hinduism is the cheapest religion in the world, cost wise. Their Gods don’t expect you to pour down gold coins and gemstones. They don’t even expect honey and milk. They want the Bilva leaves or Tulsi leaves or Arka grass or flowers or water! All these are available for a few pennies or paisas or free. Departed souls are also very humble and simple; they expect a cup of water and a spoon of sesame seeds.
So, tomorrow, 2-10-2024 , millions of Hindus will march towards seas and rivers, tanks and lakes, to salute their forefathers. Even Christians go to their family graves on the death anniversaries of their family members. Those who want to remember their ancestors can simply offer some flowers to their pictures.
Mr Venkateswaran Sarma of London , my friend and regular reader of our posts in this blog, has shared with me two amazing anecdotes of departed members coming to the respective families on their death anniversaries. Brahmins never miss such days and do Sraardham or Tithi . The very word Sraardham means faith (sradhdhaa). If you do it with faith, you get their blessings.
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Two Anecdotes
Mr V Sarma writes
“At this weekend, I was listening to 2 renowned living vaidhikas perhaps in the whole of south India, one namely Sundararama Vajpaye and another Kannamani Dikshithar. The later definitely is of the Sengalipuram lineage. Both were super informative and were speaking on “Shardham” related topic and both sponsored by Veda Dharma Sastra Paripalana Sabha.
Experience 1:
There was a jaw dropping experience narrated by Kannamani Dikshithar wherein he said in Chennai he was officiating a shardham. He said that family was conducting it for the mother. In the Brahmana Bhojanam (meals) he said the Brahmana for “pithir” ate 13 pooris after having the full meal. He was wanting more and the household had only one or two left and so fretting. Once the bhojan is finished the Dikshithar when speaking with the family was informed that the deceased mother is so fond of Pooris. In addition the brahmana after completing the meal had said he has never eaten this much ever before and felt someone had entered his body. I was awestruck.
Experience 2:
Another incident was narrated previously (last Friday) by another person , a grandson of Sengalipuram, Dikshithar namely Sundarama Dikshithar. He quoted an incident that is related to the great “Gnananandagiri Swamigal”.
Apparently, there was one devotee who had sought Swamiji’s blessings the day before doing shraddha to his father as he couldn’t find a “brahmana”. Swamigal had blessed him saying “not to worry everything will be okay”.
The next day before shradham. also they had gone for darshan of swamigal as they couldn’t find one and again Swamigal had said to them to go home and everything will be okay to perform the shradham. When they returned, a Brahmana was sitting in their outside veranda. He looked very fresh, smiling and had full “namam” on his forehead. When asked who he is he had said the “sastrigal” who they had promised to come for brahman bhojan couldn’t come; so ihe had sent him on his behalf. The shardha went well and after the completion later in the day they have gone again to “Gnana nandagiri Swamigal” to prostrate and to thank him.
Swamigal was smiling and had inquired how the shradham was. The couple said to him what had happened. To that swamigal had said that He had asked “Lord Narayana” Himself to help to complete their shardha and had said it is the Lord Himself who was the “Brahmana” at the shrardha. He had asked the Lord himself. I was stunned listening to this. In fact I cried.
Everyday listening to upanyasam on Shardha over this Mahalaya Period I feel I have educated myself so much. “- Sarma
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These anecdotes will inculcate more faith in us. I am also surprised to read Manu Smriti where he insists extreme cleanliness and utmost attention to such ceremonies. That shows the departed souls visit us on those days. In Ramayana also, we read about Rama meeting Dasaratha again on such Tithi days.
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More details from Wisdomlib.org
Śrāddha (श्राद्ध).—a. [śraddhā hetutvenāstyasya aṇ] Faithful, believing.
-ddham 1 A funeral rite or ceremony performed in honour of the departed spirits of dead relatives; श्रद्धया दीयते यस्मात्तस्माच्छ्राद्धं निगद्यते (śraddhayā dīyate yasmāttasmācchrāddhaṃ nigadyate).
It is of three kinds:-नित्य, नैमित्तिक (nitya, naimittika), and काम्य (kāmya); यः संगतानि कुरुते मोहाच्छ्राद्धेन मानवः (yaḥ saṃgatāni kurute mohācchrāddhena mānavaḥ) Manusmṛti 3. 14.
2) An obsequial oblation, a gift or offering at a Śrāddha; विहाय शोकं धर्मात्मा ददौ श्राद्धमनुत्तमम् (vihāya śokaṃ dharmātmā dadau śrāddhamanuttamam) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 14.62. 1; सर्वं श्रद्धया दत्तं श्राद्धम् (sarvaṃ śraddhayā dattaṃ śrāddham) Pratimā 5.
Śrāddha (श्राद्ध).—This term indicates the duty by its proper name. Śrāddha is the name of the rite laid down as to be done in honour of one’s ancestors, on the amāvasyā day; and the whole process of that rite is indicated by the name śrāddha.
Rites in honour of the gods shall he performed in the forenoon; that in honour of the pitṛs in the afternoon; the śrāddha offered to a single person shall be performed at mid-day, while that in connection with auspicious rites shall be performed in the morning.
My old article on Mahaalaya Amaavaasai:
Mahalaya Amavasai and Ancestors Worship (Post No.11943)
https://tamilandvedas.com › 2023/04/27 › mahalaya-am…
27 Apr 2023 — Mahalaya Amavasai and Ancestors Worship (Post No.11,943) · Post No. 11,943 · Date uploaded in London – – 27 APRIL 2023 · Contact – swami_48@yahoo.
https://tamilandvedas.com › 2014/10/25 › 96-salutes-to…
25 Oct 2014 — Tamil and Vedas. A blog exploring themes in Tamil and vedic literature. 96 Salutes to Departed Souls! Rameswaram on Mahalaya Amavasya (new moon …
–subham—
Tags- Mahalaya Amavasai, departed souls, ancestors, Sraddha, Sraardham, Tithi, salute, worship,
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