MAHALAYA

Namo Namah !

Mahalaya Paksham is a time in which our Pitrus (our deceased parents / ancestors) descend from Pitru loka (Yamapuri) which is under control of Lord Yama to earth to visit their children and desire offering in form of Shraddha / Tarpana (oblations of water and tila-sesame seeds) from them. Since our deceased ancestors (father, grand father, mother, grand mother etc) have been instrumental in our being on the earth and have taken care of us from childhood to adult age, feeding us and taking care of us day and night, it is once in a year opportunity for us to satisfy them with utmost shraddha and bhakti by offering them Shraddham or Tarpana. The word “tarpana” itself means the one which brings “tripti” (satisfaction) to our deceased ancestors. Shastras says that as soon as Mahalaya or Pitru Paksha starts our deceased parents / ancestors wait outside our house door to see if someone does tarpana for them or no. They come to earth with full confidence that my children will offer me at least tarpana as I have raised them taking care of their every needs throughout their childhood and even adulthood. It is a time to pay back our parents and show our affection towards them and satisfy them through Shraddha / tarpana. Though many of us may do tarpana on all 15 / 16 days of Mahalaya paksha or single day Hiranya Shraddham and tarpana I list here the sequence of activities you should do if you decide to do tarpana on all days of Mahalaya or even single day of Mahalaya (Pitru Paksha).

1. After waking up in morning and finishing morning bath then perform Pratah Sandhyavandana. It is very important to perform Pratah Sandhyavandana as it brings in you the required purity to perform not only Mahalaya but any Vedic anushtana per se. Note that Sandhyavandana is a Nitya karma (every day compulsory duty, not only for Mahalaya) for all who have undergone upanayana. Without performing Sandhyavandana we don’t get the necessary level of purity to perform any karma or the phala (benefit) of doing any Vedic karma. Sandhya gives elevates us to the platform of eligibility to perform the karmas.

We at Veda Ghosham run extensive 6 months Sandhyavandana classes with indepth tattva and Shastra pramanas for this Vedic karma.

2. During Mahalaya Paksha till tarpana is over no rangoli (Kolam) outside the house should be put or lamp should be lit or pooja should be done. As Pitru karma has the first place before Deva karma. Once tarpana is over at home then Deva karyas can begin. This rule is for the day/days when you are going to perform Mahalaya tarpana / Hiranya shraddha

3. You should then preferably wait till 10:30am on this day and then perform Madhyanikam. If you are a office goer in early morning then you have need to pre-pone this as per your schedule. Madhyanika Sandhyavandana is a important precursor to Mahalaya Tarpana.

4. Once Madhyanikam is over you should again have second bath (this second bath is for one extra level of purity to perform the tarpana).

5. Many people ask a question if we need to wear Vibhooti / Bhasma before tarpana or no ? Whether amavasai or mahalaya tarpana whatever the case may be, the answer is during Pratah Sandhyavandana and Madhyanika Sandhyavandana you need to apply Bhasma / Vibhooti for sure. But before tarpana (amavasai / mahalaya) when you have this second bath the Bhasma / Vibhooti applied earlier gets washed away. And since shastra says after you perform this second purificatory bath post madhyanikam for the tarpana don’t waste time and immediately change clothes (you cannot wear already worn morning clothes again) and perform tarpana. Thus we don’t apply Vibhooti before tarpana but once tarpana is over we apply it.

6. So after this second bath post madhyanikam we perform Mahalaya Shraddham / tarpana. If weare going to do 15/16 days of continuous Mahalaya tarpana or 1 day Hiranya Shraddha followed by tarpana, in both cases the same procedure is applicable.

7. Once you finish tarpana then you apply vibhooti. Ask you wife to put kolam (rangoli) outside our house and light lamp in the Pooja room while you get ready for the next step.

8. After this you perform Brahmayagna in which you chant lines from all 4 vedas and then offer a tarpana for Devatas, Rishis and Pitrus. This is also a Nitya karma.

9. Once this is over now you have perform your Deva Pooja or Nitya pooja and then have the first meal of the day. From morning till tarpana is done you should be fasting.

10. For elderly and sick people who still are keen to perform Mahalaya anushtana / tarpana due to health reasons cannot fast, then a glass of milk or a fruit to sustain should be fine and will not cause dosha. But the idea is before feeding your Pitrus who are anxiously waiting for water and tila (black sesame seeds) you shouldn’t eat. So many days in your childhood they have feeded you and then last they must have had meals.

11. If you cannot perform tarpana all days of Mahalaya at least 1 day you should perform Hiranya Shraddha by calling 5-6 priests at home and do Mahalaya Hiranya shraddha and tarpana to satisfy your pitrus.

12. What about ladies? Can they do Mahalaya Shraddha in case she doesn’t have any brother ? If a couple has only a girl child only with no sons, even then this daughter can do Mahalaya Hiranya Shraddha for her deceased parents (mother and father) for a single day. If this girl’s mother is alive then she should do for the husband not this girl. Single day Hiranya Shraddham calling 5-6 pandits /vadhyars can be done by ladies but giving adhikara to the Vadhyar / Pandits to perform on her behalf.

Lord Yama tells your deceased parents before sending them to earth, you will actually come to know how your children’s attitude is towards you during this Mahalaya. When your child was small you fed them with your hands keeping him in your lap without bothering about your hunger. This Mahalaya you will come to know how much they bother about you and your hunger and thirst seeking at least 1 day of Shraddha or tarpana.

Some people may argue what if my parents are re-born again ? What is the guarantee they are in Pitruloka still ? So that Shastras say even if your parents were born elsewhere by now, as either a human or animal or insect depending on their punyas and papas, during this Mahalaya the tarpana you offer will serve as a special meal for them on that day when you do it. So do not doubt any Shastra vakya as they are like the code book by which we can live a happy spiritual, trouble free life.Many people are suffering from Pitru dosha which comes due to non performance of such Pitru karyas and Mahalaya is a compulsory ritual which each should do as a responsible child for their deceased parents & ancestors.

At Veda Ghosham we actively train people on Nityakarma as prescribed by our ancient Rishis in Sutras, with minute details of do’s and don’ts during our daily Nitya karma-anushtanas with  indepth meaning and tattva.

We run camps in various cities and also have started online classes on Nityakarmas like Sandhyavandanam, Brahmayagnam, Pundra Dharana Vidhi (Vibhuti/Namam), Snana Vidhanam