Srardham (Thevasam)

[PRASANNAM]

 

 

From: Jambunathan Iyer [mailto:n.jam...@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2017 6:41 AM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject:

 

Srardham (Thevasam)

Today we do Srardham (Thevasam) for the departed soul of my mother and just before Vadyar arrives I thought of sharing on the Significance of Srardham for the benefits of otgers which I have coolected from various sources and discussion we use to have with our Vadyars at home.

Significance of Srardham

According to Hinduism, when a person dies, he either travels to heavenly worlds or to the ancestral worlds depending upon his previous deeds. the departed souls can be elevated to higher planes of existence and pushed further on the scale of evolution if their direct descendents on earth, especially the male progeny perform some annual rites and make sacrificial offerings to them. With such rites, not just one but the entire family of ancestors would be benefited and spiritually uplifted.

So when a Hindu departs from this world, his descendents make ritualistic offerings as prescribed in the sacred texts so that the departed one makes further spiritual progress in those worlds also.

The obligation towards the departed souls is thus a part of ones ordained duties, or obligatory karma, the performance of which brings happiness not only to the departed soul, but also to the ones who performed it.

Sraaddha ceremony is way of repaying ones debt towards ones parents and ancestors. A person is indebted to his parents and ancestors because they were responsible for his birth on earth. Without even one of them in the ancestral line, he would never have been. He is thus greatly indebted to them for his corporeal existence. He can repay this debt only by performing annual rites for the departed ancestors. He is therefore expected to perform these ceremonies without fail and save himself and every one before him from misery.

Nowadays in this fast world people are not able to perform srardham in a very traditional manner. Many people are now reaching out mutts(madam) and pay some amount to perform srardham.

Still most devotees of many families (We are one among that gang) are following traditional manner in which they perform homam (we are not oerfroming Homam with Agani since My elder Brother last his wife and according to the advise of prohit we do sardham without Agani Homam) and prepare Thevasa Samayal (always by our family members) also and provide them to atleast 4-5 pandits(Brahmanas).

Who should cook ?

Cooking must be done by the Karta’s wife; if wife is not alive,daughter-in-law must cook; else daughter if her father in law is not alive.

If these are not applicable, brother’s wife may perform. ( In Our home this is possible and being followed i.e my wife do with other 3 brother’s wife jointly)

We belive that this will make your ancestors’ soul happy and in-turn your family and next generation of your family will be blessed by them.

The Srardham is performed according to the person’s caste and creed will follows some ritual according to the respective community and it is carried out to your best of satisfaction and to safeguard your family from hindrances and get their blessings in order to lead a very peaceful life.

Shradham Can be performed in three ways :

1, Paarvanam (Lighting fire& Feeding Priest/Shastri)

2, Sankalpam (Feeding Priest/Shastri)

3, Hiranya Shradham (Giving Food items to Priest/Shastri)

Though people are celebrating different festivals/events, they should remember the death ceremony of their ancestors and perform srardham to make their soul rest in peace. With such rites, not just one but the entire family of ancestors would be benefited and spiritually uplifted.

May our Lord bless us and our family members every time and every day.

​N​

 Jambunathan (Ex: REVL & IMPAL)
Rengarajapuram-Kodambakkam-Chennai-Mob:9176159004