*Q1. Should Mahalaya tarpana be done 15 days or 16 days if doing daily?*
*Ans 1* Both are accepted in Shastras. You can do 15 or 16 days, it is as per your family practice. If you are going to start or don’t know in your family what was followed, then choose 16 days. In Mahalaya the count 16 carries more importance and 16 continous daily tarpana should be done without gap in between irrespective or any shoonya thithi or athithi coming in between. You need to keep a track of the count and not give a gap till 16 is done.
*Q2. If I cannot do tarpana on all days continuously what should I do ?*
*Ans 2*. Do Shraddham on 1 day followed by tarpana. Doing shraddham on single day in Mahalaya is called Sakrun Mahalaya shraddham. "Sakrut" means once in Samskrit.
*Q3. If I am doing Sakrun Mahalaya shraddha and tarpana, are there any special days to do it?*
*Ans 3*. The day when Bharani Nakshtra falls, Vyateepata yogam falls, Ashtami thithi which called Madhyashtami and trayodashi are important days. Doing shraddham and tarpana on these days is equal to doing shraddham / tarpana in Gaya.
*Q4. Can I instead of doing tarpana on all 15 or 16 days, can I select a few 2-3 important days and do tarpana only on those days ?*
*Ans 4.* There are only two types of tarpana options recommended in Mahalaya. It is either Sakrun Mahalaya shraddham by inviting brahmins at home followed by tarpana that day post shraddham just on this one day, or all 15 or 16 days continous tarpana with any one day shraddham also by calling brahmins to your house. You cannot do only tarpana on selected few days as per your wish.
*Q5. Is it compulsory to do Sakrun Mahalaya Shraddham on either father’s or mother’s death thithi?*
*Ans 5.* Though Sakrun Mahalaya Shraddham on one day atleast, is compulsory during these 15 days which can be also death thithi of your either of your parents, but it is not compulsory to choose the parents death thithi. You can choose the auspicious kalams mentioned in Ans 3 for higher merits.
*Q6. If I finish Sakrun Mahalaya shraddham and tarpana on any one day then do I need to perform mahalaya tarpana again on Amavasya ?*
*Ans.6* Once you have done Sakrun Mahalaya shraddham and tarpana on one day then on Amavasya you need not do Mahalaya tarpana again. You need to only do Amavasya tarpana alone. But those doing tarpana each day for all 15 or 16 days you need to do Mahalaya tarpana as well in Amavasya. The order of performance is first finish Amavasaya tarpana then Mahalaya tarpana.
*Q7. Are there any rules to be followed for Sakrun Mahalaya shraddha date decision?*
*Ans.7* If you are going to perform Sakrun Mahalaya (single day) then you should not select a thithi between prathamai and Chaturthi, unless is coinciding with either of your parents death date or the auspicious days mentioned in Ans.3. You should also not select Chaturdashi.
*Q8. Why I cannot select Chaturdashi ?*
*Ans.8* Chaturdashi is only reserved for people who have died unnatural death like weapons, accident, suicide, poison etc.
*Q9. If my father or mother have died on let us say Panchami or shasti or any other thithi but they have died unnaturaly as described above in Ans.8 then when should I do mahalayam shraddham for them?*
*Ans.9* You need to perform Mahalaya shraddham only on Chaturdashi for them and not on their death thithi mentioned in question. Chaturdashi is reserved for only such unnatural deaths and we need to do that day only irrespective of your parent death thithi.
*Q10. If I am doing this Chaturdashi unnatural death related Mahalaya shraddham is there something I need to keep in mind?*
*Ans.10* Yes this shraddham will be done in Ekodishta vidhanam. It means this mahalayam will be only to the person deceased due to unnatural death and other ancestors above him / her and karunika pitrus will not come in it. For eg: his / her father, grandfather, mother etc. For the other dead ancestors described in the example above you should do mahalayam on any separate day.
*Q11. If I am doing tarpana for 15 or 16 days then is there any thithis to avoid ?*
*Ans11* All these special rules or avoiding certain days etc are applicable only for selecting the date of Hiranya shraddha inviting brahmins at home doing Hiranya shraddha and tarpana. For those doing only tarpana on all days will continue doing so for 15 or 16 days for the entire mahalaya. These rules are applicable only for Sakrun Mahalaya shraddham date.
*Q12. If I am doing Hiranya shraddham how many brahmins should be invited during mahalayam?*
*Ans.13* 6 Brahmins in most ideal case.
These are
1. Vishwe Deva (This is the devata who brings the pitru along with them to earth)
2. Father’s side (3 generations)
3. Mother’s side (3 generations)
4. Mother’s father & mother’s side (3+3 generations)
5. Karunika Pitrus (close relatives)
6. Maha Vishnu (Protector of Shraddha)
Currently most places only 5 people come as Mahavishnu is made optional and instead a Vishnu padam / Shaligramam is kept or koorcham is kept due to non-availability of brahmins during this period.
*Q13. Who are these Karunika pitrus ?*
*Ans.13* These are deceased relatives of your father and mother side, like mama, father / mother’s brothers/sisters etc etc. Mahalaya is the special time when you can do tarpana for them and satisfy them too and obtain their blessings.
*Q14. If my father is alive and mother is not alive then does mahalaya apply to me ?*
*Ans.14* No. Only your father has performance rights.
*Q15. If my mother is alive and father is not alive then what should it do ?*
*Ans.15* Within the 1st year of death of father Mahalaya or amavasya tarpana does not start. Only after completion of 1 full year of death, Mahalaya or amavasya tarpana will start and you can do it post 1st year.
*Q16. If I miss performing Mahalaya Shraddham / tarpana due to some unavoidable reasons in these 15 days what should I do ?*
*Ans16*. Shastras give an alternative period for doing Mahalaya Shraddham for people who due to unavoidable reasons miss the shraddham and tarpana. This is the next Krishna paksham in the following month, that is Aipasi month in Tamil, Ashvina or Tula month as per lunar and solar calendar respectively.
16 key questions answered on Mahalayam for public awareness and correct understanding of this great ritual. At *Veda Ghosham* we actively train people on such important Vedic Dharma and 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.*
Courtesy: dharmashastram
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