Part 7 - Shaiva Shraddha Vidhi

The Shraddha rituals begin after the performance of antyesti according to Kiranagama. It is the continuation of the antyesti vidhi which has to be performed for the deadly person for a period of twelve months only 670 Kamikagama (Uttara),, 27.204 671 Rajbali Pandey, Op. cit., p.271 241

after performing antyesti; the sraddha can be performed yearly. Sraddha is of five types: viz. nitya, naimittika, kamya, vrtthi and parvana. Nithya is said to be daily sraddha, naimittika is on the death day, kamya is according to one's wish; performing sraaddha on amavasya is parvana and the one to be performed on the marriage day is Vrtthi. 672 Food (Pinda) is offered into the fire (Homa) at the time of the sraddha ritual. 073 From the day of death (Asauca) till one year, (samvatsara) each day is called as ekkodista. From the death day till one year ekkodista sraddha should be performed each day. At the end of sraddha paksa which is after a year, sraddha should be performed. Ekoddista is the one which is performed every month starting from eleventh day of the deceased person. Sodas sraddha should be performed after the Nav sraddha. On fourth, fifth, ninth and on eleventh day, whatever alms or donation is given in memory of the death person is called as navasraddha. Here also, shraddha is performed with reciting mantra, along with pinda and black sesamum. At the end of asauca day, ekkodista sraddha is performed. 674 Sraddha performed on 11" day, 45 th day, sixth month or at the end of the year all are said to be sodasa sraddha. Whatever alms or donation is given on these days, it is said to be sodasa Sraddha or ekkodista sraddha. Those for whom the navasraddha and Sodasa sraddha are not done they will be in the ghost form even after performing 100 shraddha. The dead person stays in ashes, doors, sky for thirty three days. The ceremony which is done on the completion of one year is called abdika, thereafter the ceremony which is done every year is known as sraddha. It is essentially to be done on fifteen occasions during the course of a year. The dark lunar fortnight of kumbha and kanya rasi, the fourth lunar day, the seventh lunar day, the eighth lunar day, the fourteenth lunar day, the constellation of magha and the new moon day are very important occasions occurring in a year on which the ceremony is to be performed for the sake of manes called as anvastaka. 675 672 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.1-4 a 673 Ibid., 29.4 b-5 674 Ibid., 29.6-8 675 Ibid., 29.9-12 242

After the sapindakarna he attains the world of Siva. From the death day till one year every day food, sothakumba 676 should be offered to desika should be offered to desika , and then navasraddha, ekkodista sraddha should be performed along with sothakumbha sapindakarana sraddha. The doer of shraddha should also perform the brahmacarya rituals. 677 After six month or three month or one month or next day of ekoddista sraddha, sapindakarana should be performed. For whom before one year sapindikarana sraddha is performed, for them till the end of one year food should be offered along with sothakumbha, sraddha. 678 Along with navashraddha and ekoddista sraddha, food should be offered for one person and more, and sapindakaranna should also be performed. All should offer a special heavy meal to desika and pinda should be offered either to the lord Siva or to the diksitar.679 If sun is in Kumbha or kanya rasi or in krsnapaksa (Masi and Purattasi month), or there is Caturthi, saptami, navami, trayodasi, Mahanakstra, amavasya, pitr paksa from astami is said to be the matrvarkani. During the time of ayana, sankranti, time of visu punya, Gajacasaya 80, shraddha should be performed." 681 If death occurs due to trouble or caused by fire or thundering time or during the time of flood for the above mentioned, then on the caturdasi tithi, sraddha should be performed to appeace their soul. If death occurs in some other form then sraddha should be performed for vasu, rudrathithya pitr. 682 The raksa sraddha should be performed in the night besides during the sandhyakala also. During the night of grahanam, sraddha can be performed. If he is not a bachelor 676 Sothakumbha is a particular ceremony in honor of the deceased ancestor. 677 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.13-15 678 Ibid., 29.16-17 679 Ibid., 29.18-19 680 Gajasacayi is a particular constellation of elephant's shadow 681 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.21 b-24 a 682 Ibid., 29.24 b-25 243

then he should not perform this sraddha of trayodasi. On the magha star if one performs shraddha then his eldest son dies. If the wife and son, if performs the navasraddha on caturdasi, then three generation will be in pain.08 683 If the sraddha is performed on Friday, Wednesday, Thursday, Monday then the doer dies. The asterism like revathi, punarvasu, visakha, rohini, utthiram, uthiradam, utthiratadhi, the birth star of a doer or the fourth star from his birth star or twenty seventh star if one performs sraddha on the above month then the doer dies. If two amavasya comes in one month then it is said to be impure and bad things occur by the ancestors, gods etc. On the impure month nitya, naimittika rituals should be performed. In vaisaka month, suklapaksa and kartikai month suklapaksa, on navami tithi, puratasi month amavasya and on the same krsnapaksa, trayodasi tithi, in the month of masi amavasya (Pournami), three astaka tithi, on ayana or eclipse, on these times sesame should be offered. As referred to the above mentioned occasions, if one performs the shraddha , then it is equal to the fruit of performing 1000 sraddha on amavasya. When the sun comes to kanya rasi, the pitrs become putrakas, and then when he moves to vrischika, the pitrus becomes desireless.685 When the sun becomes dull at that time pity rituals can be started. Whoever performs sraddha in other land then in that land the pitr experience the sraddha rituals. Forest, bushy forest, river side etc., all these places are not god's places so sraddha can be performed here also.° 688 686 " 684 On the mahamalaya paksa, if shraddha is not performed then the pitrs curse the doer. Or if alcohol, meat, milk, sweet rice is offered on yearly ritual or in the month of masi then he will be cursed. Deivika sraddha in morning time and pitr sraddha in evening and ekoddista sraddha in the afternoon and in the morning vrtthi nimitta sraddha should 683 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.26-28 684 Ibid., 29.29-36 a 685 Ibid., 29.36 b-37 a 686 Ibid., 29.186 687 Ibid., 29.180-181 688 Ibid., 29.37 b-38 244

be performed. On the morning of suklapaksa and afternoon of krsnapaksa is said to be sraddha time. In the morning, the common shraddha should be performed. 089 With happy mind whatever alms is given to the person who has Siva's knowledge, more educated, who are facing poverty, all the above are said to be of medium kind. One who has formerly done service but don't have the knowledge of Siva sastra and for great prosperity or success whatever donation is given is said to be superior. For the son's and daughter's in laws and who is not fasting and one who expects good result and if they give alms or donation then it is superior. For the person who don't perform Siva worship, or who capture the knowledge of Siva or if alms or donation is given to the servants without his knowledge or given with anger or by moving to the left from right are all said to be inferior.690 Rituals: Two sadhakas and three desikas should have an essential basics, are to be invited for the sake of pitrdevas and visvadevas. Two sadhakas are for two visvadevas namely Rudra and Ananta and three desikas are for three pitrdevas namely Isa, Sadasiva and Santa. For the persons who had been samayin or putrakas another type which is called as Rudra shraddha is to be performed. But the names of the pitrdevas are Rudra, Skanda and Ganadhisa 691 and Canda 692 and Mahakala are the ganas of visvadevas. For the non-initiated persons, laukika sraddha³ is to be performed. Here the names of pitrdevas are Brahma, Visnu and Isa and for visvadevas are Surya and Yama. For all kinds of sraddha five persons are to be invited. Out of the three sraddha namely Saiva sraddha, Rudra sraddha and Laukika sraddha, Saiva sraddha which is done with the employment of Siva mantras and is extolled to be the supreme purifying one. If the sadhakas and putrakas are not available to accept the offerings, devotees of Rudra or Brahmins other than Saiva Brahmins may be invited. If a non-initiated person is to be invited on account of necessity and circumstance, the doer can accept him knowing his intense devotion and other virtuous qualities. Having invited to his house, the doer should 689 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.39-41 690 Ibid., 29.46-50 691 Skanda, Chandesa and Ganesa are the three pitrudevar names. Kamikagama (Uttara). 29.81 a 692 Nandi is the gana of visvadevars instead of canda given in the Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.8 lb 693 Laukika means belonging to or occurring in ordinary or common life. 245

make him Brahmin by imputing the powers of necessary mantras through the process of nyasa. 694 If five persons are not available then two persons, one for pitrdeva and the other for visvadeva shall be solicited.' Visvadevas are to be worshipped on the two shoulders of the invited person and pitrdevas are to be worshipped on shoulder and head of the invited person. On the main side, in the sraddha three people are called. On one place one person and on the other place two other sthanaka both should be made.On the main part either two or five persons should be asked to sit. For grhasta, six persons should be made god and three Linga devas should be made. With this exact number, sraddha rituals should be done. Elder people should be invited a day before." 695 On the sraddha rituals, baudika and brahmacarya play a superior role. Saivites and Santanika are good for pitrdevas. 696 A person who has invited naistika as guest and offer his service, then he is blessed by great persons of knowledge and he knows all about the four Vedas. If the acarya is said to be a Brahmin and takes the food then the doer get crores of virtues. If the sadhaka takes the meal then he gets lakhs of fruits and if diksitas take meals then it gives 10,000 fruits. If the guest are samayasthan then he will get 1000 fruits and if Mahesvara purusa then 108 fruits.697 If the shraddha person is invited and proper care is not taken then forgiveness should be asked from him otherwise the doer will go to hell. Satisfaction from the people invited for sraddha is said to be satisfaction of the lord Siva in this earth. The person who has been invoked for the sraddha food and he doesn't eat the food then he goes to hell." 698 699 694 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.82 b 695 Ibid., 29.83-85 696 Ibid., 29.75 697 Ibid., 29.76-78 598 Ibid., 29.82 a 099 Ibid., 29.56-57 a 246

For the sraddha improper cleanliness, anger and fastness are the three special things to be taken care of during sraddha. Darbha, ghee, sesame are the three which purifies things. 700 The acarya who has come to perform the sraddha, for him tambula should be offered and remember the lord Paramesvara at night. 701 Water should be given for washing the feet. Mandala should be made. The whole house should be cleaned with water of cowdung. Two square mandala with equal lines in the corner side and two square mandala in the east-west direction should be made. In the centre of north and south direction, mandala should be made. On each mandala, 12 angulas depth should be made. 702 703 While performing sraddha for the mother and father, mandala or pit should be made. The doer should draw a rectangular design of an extent of one hasta and purifying it with cow-dung he should draw two circular designs one in south and the other in north. Strewing darbhas, with their tips turned towards south, over the mandala, he should place yava, sesamum etc. on it. For the father, in the five vessels arghya should be given that is water should be offered. Sandal paste, flower, tip of the darbha water with the yavaka should be offered as water offering to the god (devarghya) reciting mantra and for pitt arghya with sesame should be offered. The mandala drawn in the direction of south is meant for the purification of feet; adoring it with flowers etc, the doer should wash the right foot of the invited person and then the left foot pronouncing diksanama of the departed soul. In the middle, kusa grass should be kept and mud ball in the south. With fragrantic, white flower worship should be offered. As the ancient ritual in the west mandala, the back side of the hands should be worshipped with Svadanta. From each utensil little little things should be taken and dropped in the arghya vessel and then mud should be taken and legs should be washed off. 700 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.57 b-58 701 Ibid., 29.87 Ibid., 29.90-94 703 Ibid., 29.93-94 704 Ibid., 29.98-101 704 247 o

707 705 Then he should take him to the northern mandala and offer him acamana. Visvadevas" are to be seated facing east. The name should be invoked. With Vamadeva mantra, fixing all the triple sacred things which are darbha, ghee, sesame should be performed and then barley should be offered. After circumambulation, argya should be given in hand for each and with Aghora mantra. With Vamadeva mantra, incense burner, with Aghora mantra - lights and with Isana mantra, pavitra (leaves for holding or for offering or for sprinkling and purifying ghee) which is a ring of grass worn on the fourth finger on particular occasion. With kavaca mantra, clothes, rings should be offered.7 708 Pitrdevas are to be seated facing north. For the pitrs, deambulation should be done twice with darbha and Sadyojata mantra. After taking permission one should invoke the pitr with the particular mantra, triple sacred things should be done and with Vamadeval mantra deambulation should be performed. For the protection with Isana mantra, sesame should be offered and with Aghora mantra and anjali mudra, argya should be offered. Then he should pray that he is going to perform shraddha and seat of darbha (darbha asana) should be given for the two. The darbha should not be given to the pitts as asana in their hands. For the visvadevas, the darbha should be given with the mantra and north end should be their place. 710 Wearing pavitra made of darbha in his ring finger, the doer (karta) should do avahana and other ritualistic activities. An invocation is to be done with diksa nama of the departed soul. The doer should inform the invited persons who represents pitrdevas and visvadevas that he is going to do avahana. Let the invited person say "be it done." 705 Then in the north mandala also, the same should be done and leg should be washed off and with cool water acamana should be done, Kamikagama (Uttara),29.102 706 Visvadevar character is accepted and sitting down with the barley seeds they should be worshipped. All the parts of the body should be touched and then sandal paste flower garland should be applied and worshipped. Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.109-110 707 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.104-108 708 Ibid., 29.111-112 709 Ibid., 29.113-115 710 Ibid., 29.104-105 248

Thus having obtained their permission, he should do avahana with devoted heart and concentrated mind. For visvadevas, activites like raksa are to be done in right direction and pitrdevas in the left wise direction. For the visvadevas, the doer should sprinkle yava or unhusked rice for the sake of raksa and for the three pitrdevas he should sprinkle sesamum. Then he should place a vessel for argya with Vamadeva mantra and prepare argya water using sesamum, sandal, aksada, dhruva grass, flower, pavitra etc. Offering the argya water he should request the deity to render its presence, this act of samnidhi karana is to be done with Isana mantra in the case of three pitrdevas and with the Aghora mantra in the case of two visvadevas. The person without using thumb, not sitting in a proper position, (the hands should not be kept on the knee in a covering leg like position), if sraddha is performed with the above mentioned people then it is impure sraddha, because receiving alms (Dana), giving fire rituals, meals, food offering (bali) all the ritual should be performed by the use of thumb finger, otherwise it is asurakarma. 711 Then he should touch the three pitrdevas from head to foot with sesamum and darbha and the two visvadevas from foot to head with yava. This should be done with the Aghora mantra in the case of pitrdevas and with the Sadyojata mantra in the case of visvadevas. After doing this, he should offer sandal and flowers with Vamadeva mantra and incense and light with kavaca mantra. Having accepted all these adorations (upacharas) let the invited persons, now in the form of pitrdevas and visvadevas say "be the sacrifice fulfilled". Then the purification of hands is to be done."12 Placing his left knee on the ground and bending the right leg he should sit before them.7¹³ 711 712 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.66-67 The person without using thumb, not sitting in a proper position, the hands should not be kept on the knee in a covering leg like position, if sraddha is performed with the above mentioned people then it is impure sraddha, because receiving alms (Dana), giving fire rituals, meals, food offering (bali) all the ritual should be performed by the use of thumb finger, otherwise it is asurakarma. (Kamikagama (Uttara).29.66- 67) 713 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.68 a 249

714 Rice (havis) that is cooked rice, honey mixed with rice should be offered. The food utensils should be touched reciting mantra. For the utensils to be used for food should be new and cleaned utensils if gold, silver or copper vessels are not available.715 Then having brought near various kinds of delicious foods with six kinds of taste in pure vessels, the doer should do the preliminary activity to be done before taking food. Offering water in their hands for the purpose of aupasana, he should request them to take the served food.716 They should eat the served food by observing silence. For their satiety, various kinds of dishes like payasa, ghee, honey, and victuals all those having been consecrated and purified are offered. While they are eating the served food, the doer should recite Isana mantra, facing north. Having known that all items have been served to their satiety and having ascertained that they have taken all the varieties served for them, he should inquire of their satisfaction. For the sake of auspicious benefit of the doer, let them say "we are pleased". The food offered along with clothes facing south or sitting at the door will be eaten by the demon (raksas). Those who offered food in the mud vessel to the pitrus or who eats the food they will go to hell. The water with mud if sprinkled is said to be special. The doer should not touch his private parts while performing sraddha. 717 Asafoetida, green vegetables are superior for the sraddha food. The paksa meals prepared should be offered as ambrosias to the pinda material and it can be eaten. Wood, salt, jambal fruit, pumpkin, cucumber, brinjal, buffaloes milk, guava, urid dal, pepper, pippili, prepared salt, drumstick etc. are not to be taken. Red substances, kumkum, red incense etc all are not to be used. Things if taken from garbage, if touched by legs, or white things, left over things, etc. or if battered curd or if salty things should be used. The vegetable, salt if given with friendship then for it there will be no fruit for his donation. The person who eats will become sinful.718 The old darbha, havis are said to be special so 714 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.126-127 715 Ibid., 29. 120 716 With water in the hands should be circled around the food. For that water should be given in the hands of the pitr devar. Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.129 717 Ibid., 29.70-72 718 Ibid., 29.59-65 250

it can be used. For the sraddha whatever things are to be included that all can be used. Non vegetarian food if offered to the god during worship he will go to the hell.' 719 Maternal grandfather, uncle, sisters, son, father in law, teacher, grandson (daughter's son), son-in-law, tviks are all eligible to eat the sraddha food. If the person is not fasting, grandson (daughter's son) should be asked to eat the food in the sraddha. If the above mentioned people are not there then the food is offered to sages, brahmacarins.720 Those Brahmins who eat pig, cock etc should not be seen and alms or donation should not be given to them. 721 Then having drawn a mandala with cow-dung in front of them he should place darbhas, with their tips turned towards south, and sprinkle water over it. After they have been seated there, the doer should offer acamana and tilodaka (water poured with sesamum). Then taking the food and other dishes now left over in the vessels from which they have been served to pitrdevas and visvadevas, he should mix them with sesamum and make three rice balls out of the mixed food. Then he should offer them one by one, proceeding towards the direction south to Isa, Sadasiva and Santa. He should make the water trickle down in left wise order with Tatpurusa mantra. Then he should offer sandal, flower etc with Vamadeva mantra and arghya water with the same mantra. Out of the three rice balls (Pindas), the middle one shall be given over to ladies to be blessed with progeny. On taking the ball or a small quantity of it, she shall give birth to a good and virtuous son who with the divine qualities of Rudradeva. Other two balls shall be offered to cow or thrown into the water. In order to send forth the invoked devas, the doer should offer acamana first to pitrdevas and then to visvadevas. Having done acamana and purified his hands and lips, and having resolved the purpose, the doer should prostrated before them and crave for their parden. He should offer them present according to his ability and status. Having honoured them in this manner, he should send them forth with a devoted heart. 119 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.68-69 a 720 721 Ibid., 29.51-53 a Ibid., 29.182-183 251

The doer after performing the sraddha should not eat at the other sraddha; if he does so then pitrs don't accept his pindodaka. Again taking meals, stranger, to protect, to sleep, to be with wife, to donate, perform homam, sraddha meals all eight has to be excluded during the the sraddha time.722 723 Sapindakarana and ekoddista can be performed for the ladies and all the rituals are performed as mentioned before. Before sapindakarana, with that pitr karma rituals should be performed. Then with all the names of the pits all the rituals should be performed." For the mother's sraddha also, donation or alms should be given as mentioned above. The female after udvaha in (saptapadi) seven steps she gets release from her gotra. For the females, pindodaka rituals should be performed only through her husband's gotra. The husband's gotra will be the same as in which he performs panigrahana. It is mentioned specially for the asura marriage. For the women, if she has more husbands then which husband is with her or taking care of her, then the rituals should be performed according to that husband's gotra. If a female dies in her place that is her husband's place then the person's belonging to her should perform the sraddha. Pinda, tilodaka should also be offered. 724 For whom in the sapindikarana, preta pinda is joined with other pinda he becomes a pitrhatthi and matrhatthi. He gets life, wealth, knowledge, children, prosperity, health; victory, courage, bliss etc. are received through nitya sraddha.725 For the dead father, son should perform the sraddha, diksitar with more knowledge, friend, disciple, servants; with acarya also, sraddha should be performed. If son is not there, then wife should perform and wife is also not there then the eligible sotharan should perform. For whom upanayana has not been performed and has a tuft of hair then he can give udakapinda. 720 722 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.53 b-55 723 Ibid., 29.170-171 724 Ibid., 29.196-200 725 Ibid., 29.172-174 720 'Ibid., 29.173-177 252

Father, grandfather and great grandfather all the three are pindodaka. If they are present and pinda is offered then they don't attain liberation. 727 If the mothers and fathers sraddha are performed together then facing the East first mother's sraddha should be performed and then father's sraddha is performed. If son is not there then wife can do sapindakarana. Ekoddista and sapindakarana should be performed as per pitrs. Before sapindakarana, ekoddista should be performed. Pinda should not be offered separately. If man or woman is without son then for them ekoddista and pinda donation should be done. Parvana is not required.' 729 728 Those who perform the ceremony with devotion and diligence attain oneness with Rudra and the manes for which the ceremony is performed are pleased very much and they ascend to the highest place of lord Siva. This is Saiva sraddha and this type is to be for those who had been blessed with nirvana diksa that is for sadhakas and desikas or acaryas. Saiva sraddha done in this way is successful enough in yielding the most supreme state of bliss known as Siva sayujya. Rudra sraddha is to be done in this way with the mantra joined with one's own name, pronouncing pranava (Om) in the beginning and namah in the end. This kind of sraddha is capable of effecting oneness with Rudradeva. He who performs laukika sraddha will not be in debt towards his manes. This type of paitrka sraddha is meant for Brahmins of Vedic cult. This kind of ceremony is based on the Vedic declaration and formed and regulated according to the procedures set forth in the smrtis. A Brahmin who performs the ceremony will reach brahmaloka after his dissolution. The ceremony named ekoddista is to be done without avahana etc. Lord Siva is externally pleased and there is no activity being done by men by which he can be pleased. But it is the lord who vivifies the activities of men. Those deeds alone which are done in the name of lord Siva get consummated and yield their best results. Therefore, always Saiva path is to be followed even though its true nature remains 727 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.190 728 729 Ibid., 29.191-193 Ibid., 29.194-195 253

unknown and secret. All activities concerned with ceremony even though they are beyond the reach of reason, are done for the sake of continuous remembrance of the descendents. Daily things like desire, fight, end of friendship, end of wealth, all such things occur due to performance of improper sraddha. 730 If these are not executed in the prescribed manner, then one cannot be free from debt of manes. According to one's own faith and diligence, sraddha yields his desired ends. :30 Kamikagama (Uttara), 29.74 254