SomerulesofSradha

1. Both Kartha and Boktha should not eat anything after eating the ritual
BhojanamaftertheSradha.
2. WecandoKoosmandaHomamforremovingoursinsbeforeSradha.
3. WeshouldstartdoingOupasanaatleastfourdaysbeforeSradha.Thefire
ofSradhaislitfromtheOupasaagni.
4. For performing Sradha Kudhabha time , Douhithra (daughters son) and
blackGingellyareveryimportant.
5. It is believed that black Gingelly was got after Varaha Avathara and
preventsevilspiritsfromenteringourhouse.
6. We should not ask our Brother to participate in the Sradha as a
Boktha(representativeofourmanes
7. SickpersonoronewhodonotknowVedascannotbeaBoktha.
8. HewhohasmarriedagirlwhoisnotAkanyacannotbeaBoktha.
9. Duringthemonthlyperiodsofalady,herhusbandcannotbeaBoktha
10. PeoplewhodonothaveawifeandasoncannotbeaBoktha.
11. He who has participated in a Sradha as Boktha cannot be a Boktha for
anotherthreedays.
12. TheonewantsandrequeststobemadeasaBokthaisineligible.
13. Yogi,Jnani,SamaVediandDouhithran(daughtersson)arepreferredto
beBhokthas.
14. Hewhosewifeismorethan3monthspregnantcannotbeaBoktha.
15. HewhohasshavedinthatMorningcannotbeaBoktha
16. Hewhoissufferingfromleprosy,infectednailorteethcannotbeaBoktha
17. He who has to perform first death ceremony of his father cannot be a
Boktha
18. WhentwoBrahminscome,theyoungeroneshouldrepresentthePithrus
andtheelderonetheViswedevas.
19. PeoplewhocanaffordshouldgivesilkDhoti(5years)andUthareeyam(3
yards)totheBokthas
20. AtleastweshouldpresentthesamequalityofDhotiwhichwenormally
wear.
21. People who cannot afford should at least give a Sacred
thread(Yagnopavitha)
22. TheKarthashouldstarttheSradhaonlyafterwearinganewYagnopavitha.
23. TheKarthashouldnevergetangryontheSradhaday.
24. He should not take food in somebody elses house at least for a month
beforetheSradha.Thiscouldbeatleast3dayswhenitisnotpossibleto
do otherwise.(Food from teacher, sister, uncle and father in law can be
taken)
25. Oil bath should not be taken within the seven day period preceding the
Sradha
26. Heshouldnotlieonacottonbedormakeloveinthosesevendays
27. WeshouldnotwashthefeetoftheBrahminwithPavithram.Itshouldbe
removedandtuckedintheear.
28. For Viswedevas it is Chathurasram and for Pithrus it is circle below the
Plateonwhichfeetarewashed.
29. ThewaterusedforwashingthefeetofViswedevasisholyandshouldnot
mixwithwaterusedtowashthefeetofPithrus.
30. TheremaininggheewhichisusedforHomashouldnotbeconsumed
31. CookingshouldbedoneinGhee.ItcouldbedoneincoconutoilorGingelly
oilasperthecustomofourforefathers
32. Seasoningwithmustardisnotdonebysomeandsomeothersdoit.Thisis
determinedbythepracticeofourforefathers.
33. TheKarthaandhiswifeshouldwearclothswashedanddriedonthesame
day.
34. Allfoodarticlesshouldbewashedbeforecooking.
35. Relationorservantshouldnotbeemployedforcooking
36. A lady who is nearing time for periods or one who has just taken the
purificatorybathcannotcook.
37. Cookingshouldnotbedonewithwertcloth
38. Youcanshakethewetclothseventimesandthenwearitandcook
39. Ifwehappentogototoiletduringthetimeofcooking,weshouldtakebath
andrestartthecooking
40. Apregnantladyorasickladyshouldnotcook
41. Awidowwhohasnotshavedherheadshouldnotcook
42. Whilecooking,weshouldnotkeepontalking
43. Peoplewhohavedrunkcoffeeshouldnotcook
44. TheSradhashouldbeperformedinourownhouse.Ifnotpossible,wecan
giverentandthenperformit.
45. FoodforSradhashouldnotbecookedinsteelvessels
46. ThilakaandsoundofbellshouldnotbethereduringSradhatime
47. Thehairshouldbetied
48. Thericeshouldbepreparedlast
49. whenweservericeontheleafsteamshouldcomeoutofit.
50. TheleafusedfortakingfoodoftheBrahminsshouldbeburiedinthesoil.
Somepeopleputitinanunusedwell,Intownssomepeoplegiveittothe
cows.Thisisnotcorrect.Butifthereisnoothergodoit.
51. Theleavesshouldberemovedbeforethefinalblessings.
52. The Kartha should not clean his teeth with brush or stick on the day of
Sradhaandonthedaybefore
53. TheBokthasshouldnottoucheachotherTheyshouldnottalkduringmeals
butshowtheirrequirementsbypointingthemoutwiththeirfingers
54. TheyshouldnotkeepPayasamandgheeremainingontheleafafterthey
eat.Theyshouldkeepasmallquantityofeveryotherthing
55. They should eat slowly and take sufficient food so that they do not feel
hungryatnight.
56. Vasu,RudraandAdithyaareSradhadevathas
57. Eyjoingthesedevasalongwiththem,ourpithruswouldonlybehappy.
58. AllritualsaddressedtodevasshouldbedonewithYagnopavitaontheleft
shoulder.Thewateroffering(Tharpana)shouldbeofferedtothemstraight.
Theyshouldbeworshippedbyrice
59. AllritualsaddressedtothePithrusshouldbedonewithYagnopavitaonthe
rightshoulder.Waterofferingshouldbethroughthespacebetweenthumb
andthenextfingertothesides.TheyshouldbeworshippedbyGingelly.
60. WhentheBrahminsaretakingfoodAbisravanamantrasshouldbechanted
so that Rakshasa are kept away. If we do not know these mantras ,
 Brahminswhoknowthemshouldbeemployedtochantthem.Theyshould
begivenfeesfordoingso.
61. IncaseofYekodishtam,Sapindikaranam,Masikam,Anumasikam,Nandi
SradhamAbisravanaMantrasshouldnotbechanted.
62. IfsomeeatenfoodfromoneBrahminfallsonanotherBrahminsleaf.The
leavesshouldberemovedandtheyshouldbeagainservedfoodinthenew
leaf.Theyshouldnotgetup.
63. TilltheBrahminsfinishtheirfood,thefireofHomashouldbemaintained.
Ifitgoesout,theSradhahastoberedone.
64. Thepindameantforcrow(VayasaPinda)shouldbeprotectedtillitiseaten
byacrow.
65. Though all serving and other rituals are done first to the Brahmin
representingthedevas.Gettingupafterfinishingthefoodshouldbedone
firstbyBrahminrepresentingthePithrus.
66. AfterPindasareofferedputlittleofthericeinthemouth.Insomefamilies
theyonlysmellit.
67. Pindas can be put in water or fire. If the Sradha is performed in sacred
waters,itshouldbeputintheriver
68. TilltheSradhaisover,PundraandRudrakshashouldnotbeworn.
69. TheKarthaandBokthashouldnotdrinkanythingexceptwater.Bokthacan
putThamboola.
70. Heshouldnotdoanyotherritualthatday.HecandoSandhyaVandanaonly
afterChantingGayathritentimes.IfheisdingOupasanamitshouldbegot
donebysomebodyelse.HeshouldnotacceptanyDhana(charity)thatday.
71. IfcrowtakesPindafromeast,youwillgetwealth.Ifittakesfromsouth,
youwillgetdisease,Ifittakesfromwest,youwouldgoonatour.Ifittakes
fromnorth,yourlongevitywouldgetreduced.
72. If it is Ekadasi , the Kartha can and should take the food offered to the
manes.
73. Since the dead people become devas, Sradha Pithru sesham of people
youngertoyouandofyourwifecanbetaken.
74. EveniftheyaremarriedladiescaneatPithruseshamofmother,fatherand
brother
75. Butiftheybecomewidowtheyarenotsupposedtoeatit.
76. Thereisnopithruseshamincaseoffatherinlawanduncle.
77. The para heni Tharpanam should be performed next day to sradham. It
shouldbedonenextdayearlymorningat4AM.Afterdoingitabathhasto
betaken,IffatherisalivethereisnoParaheniTharpanaintheSradhaof
mother. There is no Paraheni Tharpana in case of Sapindikaranam,
Anumasikam,NandiandApthikam.
78. BrotherswhohavedividedtheirpropertyshoulddoSradhaseparately.
79. Iftheyliveinseparatehouses,theyshoulddoitseparately.Joiningonlyon
Sradhadayandtheeldestoneonlydoingisnotcorrect.Ifmotherisalive
allbrothersshoulddoittogether.
80. Gingellyshouldnotbetakenbythumbandthenextfinger.
81. Sradha should be performed during Mahalaya P, Bharani Ashtami and
Vyadheepadaarespecial
82. NandiSradhaisanauspiciousfunction.
83. Sradha should be done first according to rules Some people use grass
insteadofDharbhaandBarleyinsteadofGingelly.ThePariseshachanam
roundisnotdoneinanticlockwisedirections.Swadha(foodofManes)is
not offered. It should be done during Garbha danam , Pumsavanam,
Seemantham, Jathakarmam, Nama Karnam, Annaprasanam, Choulam ,
Upanayanam,Grahapravesametc.Peoplewhocannotaffordcanperform
NandiasAamaSradhaorHiranyaSradha.
84. In Nandi Two Brahmins representing Viswa deva, two Brahmins for
grandfatherandtwoforfathershouldberepresented