Guru Gangeshwaranandji Maharaj

MAHALYA -SHRAADH -MIMAMSA

Before we start this chapter, it is necessary to explain the meaning of MIMAMSA

Mimamsa is one of the limbs of Vedas. Mimamsa believes that the karma that is "APPLIED FOR" gives its own reward NATURALLY.

It helps in the understanding of Vedic texts.
It is called KARMA MARG (Route) since it teaches the importance of performing karmas.

There are 3 types of karmas:
a) Those that are performed daily are called NITYA KARMA.
b) Those that are performed for a special purpose like a bath after the eclipse are called NAIMITTYA KARMA.
c) Those that are performed with a certain desire in mind like a yagna to invoke rains are called KAMYA KARMA.

In the previous Discourse, we enlightened you about all the steps of Shraadh. It was also explained that there is reference of this ritual in the various texts like Puranas, Vedas and other religious texts.
Today we shall explain why Shraadh is specially performed during the month of ASHWIN (September/October) during the 15 days of the waning moon (Krishna Paksh).

We will also learn why it is also called Mahalya.
To understand this we should first know when the ordinary Shraadh is performed.
Yogi Yagnavalkya has said in one of the texts that Shraadh should be performed on the following occasions:

AMAVASYA
ASHTAKA
VRIDDHI
KRISHNAPAKSH
DAKSHINAYAN and UTTARAYAN
DRAVYA
BRAHMIN SAMPATI
VISHUVAT
SURYA SANKRANTI
VYATIPAT
GAJCHHAYA
SURYA and CHANDRA GRAHAN
A DESIRE TO PERFORM SHRAADH

AMAVASYA

The most common one amongst all is the last day of the Ashwin Krishna Paksh (sometime in September/October)
Some religious people give charity every 'no moon' day in the year (Amavasya day)

ASHTAKA

During the months of PAUSH, MAGH and PHAGUN the 7^th, 8^th and 9^th day are very special.
During these three days of the above mentioned months, Shraadh should be performed.

VRIDDHI

This is also called ABHUDAYAK SHRAADH.
Whenever there is a celebration in the house we should invite our ancestors to satisfy and make them happy.

The aged (VRIDHH) Vashist and Jabaliya Munis had said that we should perform Shraadh on occasions like:

Birth of a son

Marriage

Fame (when we are being honoured for something)

Yagna

Mekhla bandhan (at the time when we tie a thread, SAGRA, and when we unite it)

The other name for the Vriddhi shraadh is NANDIMUKH

KRISHNAPAKSH

After the full moon when the moon starts waning and eventually after 15 days when there is NO MOON that day is called Krishnapaksh Amavasya.

DAKSHINAYAN and UTTRAYAN

When the Sun enters the sun sign Capricorn in January, that day is called MAKAR SANKRANTI.

When the Sun enters the sun sign Cancer in July, that day is called KARKA SANKRANTI.

According to astrology, the year is divided into two parts i.e. Dakshinayan and Uttarayan.
We therefore say there are 2 AYANS
On these 2 Sankranti days, Shraadh should be performed.

DRAVYA

DRAVYA means Commodity or any substance of value.
So the day we procure foodstuff and other things like rice, milk, money; we should perform Shraadh.

BRAHMIN SAMPATTI

The day a learned, Vedic and pious Brahmin comes to the house that day also we can perform Shraadh.

VISHUVATT

The day the Sun enters the zodiacal signs Libra and Aries, that day is called VISHUVATT.

Sage Vashisht had said that Shraadh can also be performed on these two days.

(Gangasagar HolyDip MakarSankranti day)

SURYA SANKRANTI

During the course of the year the Sun enters all the 12 zodiac signs. This day is referred to as SANKRANTI and we can perform Shraadh.

VYATIPAT

This is an astrological term and is one of the Yog's (a unison of the 5 limbs of the Panchaang).

The day when this yog occurs we can perform Shraadh.
The aged Muni Vyatipaat had considered this yog as an important day for performing Shraadh.

The configuration for this yog is:
When any one of the following Nakshatras (stars) Ashwini, Mrigashira, Ashlesha, Shravana and Dhanishta) falls on a Sunday during the ASHWIN month. (September /October).
On this day we can perform Shraadh.

GAJCHHAYA

This is also considered a good Yog to perform Shraadh.
In a text entitled 'CHATURVARG CHINTAMANI'
This yog is mentioned
This takes place when the moon is in MAGHA nakshatra and the sun is in HASTA nakshatra.
This amavasya day is called GAJCHHAYA.
CHANDRA and SURYA GRAHAN

A lot of people are familiar with the sun and moon eclipse. The scriptures prescribe that the Shraadh can be conducted on such days when there is an eclipse.
We should not mistake this is an IMPURE (sutak) DAY as a reason not to perform Shraadh
One can donate uncooked grains to a Brahmin on the days of eclipse.

A DESIRE TO PERFORM SHRAADH

Any day when the desire is very strong in a person to perform Shraadh, he can do it.
The reason for this is that the whole process is dependent on one factor that is FAITH (SHRADHA).

These are the 13 main occasions to perform SHRAADH

Now we shall explain why Shraadh is performed during the waning moon (Krishan Paksh). We shall give an example to explain this:

Presume that you have a friend in a high post in Ahmedabad. You will surely be able to get your work accomplished when you approach him. Now if he is transferred and someone else comes in his place then, can you get any favours done?
We don't think that would be easy since this new person is not your acquaintance. If you were to take a recommendation, even then, there is no guarantee that he would agree. He may not even know your friend. Besides, your friend may not write a reference letter even if he knows him considering it below his dignity.

For a minute even if we presume he does write a reference letter it is not necessary that the new officer agrees and does your work!

Now let us use this analogy:

During the UTTARAYAN the governance is of the Devtas. They are the rulers during that time.
During DAKSHINAYAN, the Pitrs preside.
If we perform Shraadh during Uttrayan then the presiding Devtas may or may not deliver it to our ancestors (pitrs). It is up to them!
If Uttrayan was the period that the Pitrs ruled and had the authority, then it would be possible that the grains and other charity reaches them. During Uttrayan, we shall have to approach the Devtas with some kind of reference and that may not be possible.

Thus it is best to perform Shraadh during the dark phase of the moon (Krishna Paksh) and Dakshinayan.

But now, during Dakshinayan we shall have 6 phases of the Krishna Paksh then why only during the month of Ashwin?

We shall explain that-

1. We have earlier explained that the GAJCHHAYA is an independent and important occasion to perform Shraadh. On the 13th (Trayodashi) day when the sun is in Hasta Nakshatra and the moon in Magha Nakshatra this Gajchhaya yog takes place.
This day falls in the month of ASHWIN and on other day in the year. This then becomes the reason to perform Shraadh during that month.

2. Manu Maharaj in 'Manu Smriti' also endorses this fact. The Krishna paksh of the BHADRAPAD month when the sun is in Virgo is called MAHALYA or GAJCHHAYA.

This is known as BHADRAPAD KRISHNA PAKSH in Gujarat and Maharashtra. In Punjab and Uttar Pradesh this is known as ASHWIN KRISHNA PAKSH. There is no difference in that.

3. Manu Smriti (3-273)
This shloka says:

During the monsoon on the 13th day when the moon is in Magha Nakshatra we can offer anything mixed with honey to our Pitrs.
This will give us unlimited benefits.
This Trayodashi (13^th day) falls ONLY in the Krishna Paksh of ASHWIN.

4. Even Vedic mantras indicate that ASHWIN Krishna Paksh is the time the Pitrs rule. In context of the Magha shraadh there is a quote:

The mind that is capable of good deeds invites and invokes the Pitrs during this Magha Nakshatra day. We wish that they partake the pure food that is offered with Vedic mantras.

Taittreya Br :( 2/20/2)
In this text, in the above quotation, the Pitrs who are in heaven and are all invited during this Magha Nakshatra day.

5. 'Brahma Manu' has mentioned that ASHWIN Krishna Paksh is the best time to perform Shraadh because during the rainy season, there is no availability of fresh and good vegetables and grains and transport is difficult due to the bad and muddy roads.
The householders would find monsoons not a convenient time and it is during this time that the ancestors remain deprived of any offerings.
Starved, the ancestors start expecting to be offered food and water from the 5th day after the full moon during the month of ASHAAD.
The rains stop and the Sharad Ritu (fall, cool and dry weather season) starts.
We are now able to obtain clean water, vegetables, grains, etc.
Hence Manu Maharaj says, we should offer during the time that they are starved or else the purpose to satisfy the Pitrs will not be served.
Food is best enjoyed when one is hungry!

Hope the above examples have removed all doubts.

6. Brahmand Purana says that Shraadh should be performed every day during Krishna paksh of Ashwin. These 16 days are called Mahalaya. From the full moon of Bhadrapad (September) to the No Moon (amavasya) day of Ashwin (October) is MAHALAYA.

The day our father or the others have died, we should perform the ceremony on that day (TITHI). There are 15 TITHIS in the waning and the waxing moon. The moon gradually increases in the waxing moon and decreases in the waning moon until the amavasya day.
The lunar day is thus called Tithi. One of the tithis will surely correspond to the day when one has died. If someone's father has died in the 5th day of either the waxing OR the waning moon the tithi will be PANCHAMI and thus the Shraadh will be performed on the 5th day of the ASHWIN Krishna Paksh - MAHALAYA.

Swami Balram Udasin Maharaj says that the first day after the Amavasya of Ashwin is considered as the {MAATAMAH SHRAADH}, which is also a part of the MAHALAYA.

7. In the 'Skand Purana ', it is mentioned that if one is not able to have the resources to do all the shraadhs, then on the 5th day perform the ritual for the father to satisfy and liberate him.

We hope all the non believers also have found some source of information in the above quotes. Nevertheless scientific proof shall also be provided in the next discourse.

Even if we believe the above example, there may be another doubt in the minds of some people. They will say that there are no worthy Brahmins these days so how can we perform Shraadh? The following story can put such doubts to rest.

A learned and enlightened Brahmin was doing his evening prayers near a pond.
A king who was passing by with his minister approached the Brahmin and made fun of him.

He said-- "Panditji, previously we have seen great Rishis like Agastya who could drink up the sea within minutes. If you are able to drink this small pond then I can consider you to be great."

The Brahmin remained silent! He merely picked up a stone and threw it in the pond which caused ripples and it SUNK. Even though the king was impudent to ask such a question he was also an intelligent person. He understood what the Brahmin indicated and went away.

The minister was surprised and questioned his master.

The king replied-"The Brahmin gave me my answer by throwing the stone. He answered my question with another challenge. It meant that if there were Rishis (Brahmins) like Agastya Muni earlier, we also had kings (kshatriyas) like Ram who could make stones float on water and build a bridge to cross over. Nowadays, it is impossible to float a small pebble also."

Swamiji explains....
It is wrong to criticize anyone nowadays.
The Brahmins were learned and enlightened in the past and the Kings were brave and also familiar with the teachings of the Vedas.

In this Kal Yug the standard of all VARNAS (class of people) has deteriorated.

We simply have to find a Brahmin who is honest, pure and learned and offer food to him. It is not prudent to find fault or even to hide our own faults.

Nowadays it is difficult to find Brahmins who know the Vedas and therefore if we make even one learned Brahmin sit in a line with others, he shall be able to make them pure and worthy of accepting Shraadh.

If we happen to be traveling abroad and it happens to be the time for performing Shraadh then what can be done?

In the Skand Purana it is mentioned we can make a puppet like figure of Brahman with GRASS (Kusha) and then carry out the ritual. If we are not able to find grass then we can offer the oblations into the fire and feed the cow or else float the oblations into running water. BUT we simply cannot ignore the Shraadh ritual.

Our Rishis and philosophers were indeed very kind and far sighted. They have explained every ritual and also given us alternative means of carrying them out.

If someone were to ask what if someone is pure and has good intentions but is not able to feed a Brahmin then what should be done?

On the day of the Shraadh, that person can feed a cow or a bullock and say that this is the Shraadh that I am able to perform. He can even offer the grass to the burning fire, but certainly should not ignore it.

BrihNaradiya Puran ((26/84)
It is mentioned that a pauper who has no money can simply go to the forest and shout out and say "I am a sinner and a poor person who is not able to perform Shraadh". He should cry loudly and earnestly plead to the Pitrs.

Varaha Puran (13/57/58)
If someone is stone hearted and does not know how to even cry, then that person can go to the forest and raise his arms and address the Sun God and Lords of the different worlds. He should say in a loud voice-"I have no wealth or any article or grains to offer and thus I am only saluting my Pitrs. My arms are open in the path taken by the wind in the open sky above me. May my ancestors be satisfied and obtain liberation."

To do this we do not need anything!!!!

Today we have explained all the details of Mahalaya shraadh.
Hope you will now never IGNORE performing Shraadh

21^ST OCTOBER 1938